Things I DO Believe

Talking to medical nonbelievers is astonishing to me. I don't understand why or how there would be a vast conspiracy by all doctors to make you sicker. It just doesn't make sense, but people insist on the veracity of their belief in this.

I believe wholeheartedly that the majority of the medical profession really does want to help. They really do want people to feel better. I think when doctors suggest certain courses of action or drugs or exercise or whatever, they really are suggesting what they think will lead you to the longest and best possible life. Quality of life certainly plays a role here.

I also believe there is some major conflict of interest on the part of some physicians. There are instances of preferential prescription of one brand over another or deciding to trial a patient on an expensive treatment because they have some kind of kickback. I think these instances are exceptional and rare, rather than some sort of conspiratorial collusion between doctors and the pharmaceutical industry. In fact, I would be willing to wager that most doctors would rather just be able to give their patients the medicines they needed without regard to cost. I have heard stories of doctors purchasing medicines for their patients to help with conditions like asthma to ensure that the patients need to see them less.

I believe in our medical system. I believe in its ability to change and adapt to new treatments, new ideas, and new methods. It seems to me that when we get stuck in "the way things have always been," we wind up with worse outcomes and more issues. I much prefer when our system tries to go with the state of the art or tries to forge a new state of the art. I think a lot of this will become even more important as the number of hospital-borne infections increases and antibiotic resistance grows. Doctors and hospitals will have to innovate for the sake of their patients.

I really don't understand how someone can truly believe that the medical establishment has nothing for them. Even a "hey, everything looks great, keep doing these healthy things" is SOMETHING. Most often, though, I find the nonbelievers are those who are trying to hide that they don't feel well, or those that fear that the doctor will take them to task on their unhealthy lifestyle. Either way, I think some truths need to be heard.