Health Care or Medical Care:
Is There a Difference?
By Carole G. Parker, Ph.D.
May 24, 2009 (posted on Obama
Blog)
In the United States we don’t
have HEALTH CARE we have MEDICAL CARE. Wonder why the distinction? The terms
mean different things. Health implies
wellness, the ability to do what we need or want to do or are capable of doing
physically and mentally. The opposite of health is illness where one is limited
in one’s ability to do what one wants, needs or is capable of doing physically
or mentally. For example when one has
health, one is able to engage in any type of physical exercise, work or social
activities. One is not limited
physically or mentally.
In the US we have a medical
system. We go to a physician when we do not have health, rather we don’t feel
well. We are experiencing some sort of physical or mental problem that we have
not been able to solve or fix alone. We
need help. That help comes in the form of medical
care. Care that often involves invasive
procedures to diagnose and treat our physical or mental problems.
A HEALTH CARE system would
promote wellness. We would attempt to nourish our bodies with proper nutrition
and exercise, we would engage in behaviors that promoted positive interactions
with others as well as ourselves. Instead we eat foods that have been processed
and approved by our government even though those foods are toxic. For example, the Federal Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) allows a percentage of rodent feces and parts to be in all
processed foods. Why? It is difficult,
but not impossible to have a food process plant that is completely
sanitary. How is it that we have “clean”
environments in the development of computer parts that never enter our bodies,
but not for the food we consume? How is
that it is acceptable to have chemical used to fertilize the soil that is used
to grow the food we consume? What make
it necessary to use antibiotics to enable chicken to grow in six weeks rather
than in the normal six months? I believe it is the almighty dollar! Greed!
Think about how much food we waste. The argument that we need mass production
using artificial means is not a convincing one for me.
A HEALTH CARE system would
promote exercise or physical activity. Many of us have negative views of
exercise. It is time consuming, requires physical and psychological effort and
is usually not a priority. However, exercise or activity is necessary for
health. Exercise/activity reduces
stress, eliminates toxins from the body via perspiration, and provides the
excretion of certain hormones already found in the body to increase well-being.
A HEALTH CARE SYSTEM would
promote prevention. It would provide incentives for people to quit smoking, to
not drink in excess, to eat properly and to obtain enough sleep needed for the
body based on age.
There are many things a HEALTH
CARE system would do, however, I am not a health care professional, so I am not
able to identify all the ways we could engage in healthy behavior, either
individually or at the national level.
Back to HEALTH CARE. We are all consumers of the US medical
system. It begins at birth when we are born in a hospital and begin the process
of being inoculated against all sorts of illnesses and potential diseases. Initially
we are born with the immune system of our mothers. But if her immune system is
compromised then the newborn is at risk for illness not health. Some have argued that children that are
breast fed are in general healthier than those who are not. I am not sure if
this is true, but my sibling was breast fed and I was not; thus I have lots of
experience with the medical system in the United States. Whether it is correct or not, I believe that
because I was not breast fed I had a host of MEDICAL problems. I have never known HEALTH! Therefore, I am an advocate of HEALTH.
When I first meet a physician I
generally suggest a short conversation that involves the development of a
psychological contract. A psychological contract is generally a verbal
agreement between two or more individuals who interact with each other in some
capacity. In this case it is the physician.
Here’s an example of what I do: doctor enters the exam room and
introduces self; I do the same. At that
point the doctor wants to know what brings you to the office. I respond,
“Before we talk about that I would like to address how we might work
together. I know everything there is to
know about this particular body and
you know medicine. I propose that we work as partners. I know me and you know
medicine and together we may be able to come up with solutions to my medical
conditions. I will tell you before I leave the office what I am willing and am
not willing to do. This eliminates any concerns on your part about whether or
not I will be compliant with the proposed treatment plan. If there is something
I am not willing to do I would want us together to brainstorm what other
alternative may be possible in order for me to achieve a sense of wellness. Are
you willing to work with me in this manner?”
Most of the time I have been able to have this conversation with a
doctor without any difficulty. There have been occasions when I have had
trouble. More about that later.
I am of the belief that
physician are trained early to believe they have all the knowledge and ability to
treat the problems we patients present to them without our assistance. Most
patients have brought into this ideology because we have been socialized to
believe the “doctor” knows what is best for us.
I do not agree with this thought process. I, and only I, know what is best for me. After all it is my body not the doctors’. All decision must be approved by me. If I
don’t agree then I won’t be “compliant.”
We have all been socialized that when we go to the doctor we are no
longer responsible for ourselves. We have given our power over to another
person. The only time in my life when
someone else had power over me, real power was when I was a child. My parent
had power over me. My parent determined
when I could play, sleep, eat and anything else that was part of my life. When I became emancipated as an adult I
assumed the responsibility my parent previously had. I take that responsibility very seriously. Am I a control freak? YES! But only as it
relates to what happens to and around me; what will impact my well being and
generally my livelihood.
There are lots of questions that
need to be raised about HEALTH CARE in the United States. I don’t have all the
questions, nor do I have all the answers. I do have lots of opinions that I am
willing to share with whom ever will listen.
Hence, I have decided to join President Obama’s campaign on Health Care
for All Americans and have organized a event in support of his three principles
regarding health care at my home on May 30 from 4pm to 6 pm. I am able to accommodate ten people and hope
to have a full event and lively discussion that will be recorded and sent off
to the President. I hope you will find
the above discussion stimulating and decide to join us on May 30, 2009.
Finally, I propose there is a
difference between HEALTH CARE and MEDICAL CARE. What do you believe?
