Sick Care: The Third Leading Cause of Death in America

As the founder of Wellness.com and still a busy practicing physician, I have for decades rebelled against what President (5-Star General) Eisenhower might call “The Sick Care Industrial Complex”: similar to his phrase the “Militrary Industrial Complex.”  This metaphor means that “sick care” with all its money, lobbyist, and political influence over government regulators have  become an entity within itself, distancing from the very reason it exists: primarily serving consumers and patients. Usually insurance companies are (mis)-termed “payers,” but the truth is the people are the real payers without free market choices. Consumers pay in taxes and insurance premiums (plus co-pays and deductibles) with little say in how this money is spent.

Health is personal, not collective.

Yes, there is population management for patients with chronic disease (e.g. diabetes), who cost the Sick Care Industrial Complex money, but, again, this purpose serves bean counters more than patients; unless, of course, the bean counter gets diabetes and it is personal again.

The new E.coli

Now, like an ISIS terrorist attack, the news hit last week that the first Superbug E.coli (Bacteria resistant to last-resort antibiotic appears in US) has finally hit the United States, coming from pigs in China like the killer influenza viruses. “Normal” E.coli are the most common bacteria causing urinary tract infections and food poisoning and is spread by fecal contact. But, this Superbug exists because of the Sick Care Industrial Complex’s over-reliance on prescribing antibiotics, because antibiotics are the simple answer to get patients out of your office quickly (the 6 minute visit) and part of the drug treatment mantra of our Sick Care Industrial Complex.  Part of Big Pharmacy. Give a pill. “Quick fix “even though it is a virus and you would get better anyway, but you feel better because “the doctor” did give you an antibiotic.

Resistant to ALL of our antibiotics

This new E.coli, though, is resistant to ALL of our antibiotics and has the potential to be akin to the Black Plague of the Middle Ages where thousands die every day; millions projected within the next several decades. Even more scary, the above reference indicates this resistance can be passed to other species of bacteria; strep, staph, and so forth. ISIS could never come up with a terror weapon as powerful as this.

Historically, Western Medicine was founded thousands of years ago in Ancient Epidaurus of Greece by the historical Christ-like Healer Asclepius, later the God of Medicine, whom I took an oath to on graduation from medical school in New York: i.e., the Hippocratic Oath (Asclepius). Two of his daughters were Panacea and Hygeia. Panacea translates to Sick Care; Hygeia (hygiene) to Health and Wellness.

We have lost the balance. Sick Care (complications from medications, superbugs in hospitals, complications from surgery, failure to address the root cause of obesity, vascular health, oxidative damage, etc) is the third leading cause of death now (Hospital Errors are the Third Leading Cause of Death in US Hospital) after cancer and heart disease, ignoring the point that many cancers and all most heart disease are caused by oxidative damage not competently addressed by Sick Care.

We need to take care of ourselves.

As a World Community, we need to look to Hygeia to manage the root causes of diseases -- our behaviors. We need to take care of ourselves. Our weight. Our food choices. Our fitness. Our Stress management. Our Healthy Relationships. Our connection to our Higher Self or whatever our belief.  Mind Body Wellness is related to how we fight infections and how vulnerable we are. There is so much… We need BALANCE. This is the key to health and wellness... or Hygeia.

A balance of Mind, Body, Spirit, Social, and LifeStyle.

At Wellness.com, we named this “What is Wellness” (What is Wellness?); a balance of Mind, Body, Spirit, Social, and LifeStyle.  Wellness.com has started a new initiative where we will take on obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stress, and so forth from a new perspective that health is personal.

I am introducing my colleague Tina Lensing, MSW and Health Coach, whom I have learned a great deal about balance and behavior change, as she has been a major teacher and group leader in the large healthcare setting I am practicing in. She is now moving into private practice and Asclepius will be proud. This is how we bring balance back to the Sick Care Industrial Complex. Time to make it personal again.

We are just starting the design now.  Asking for your ideas and feedback. We will build a practice platform that honors the daughter Hygeia of the God of Medicine. Thank you for your attention and your contribution. Donald McGee MD, PhD.