Health Care and Addiction Treatment – What's the Buzz?

Health Care and Addiction Treatment: What’s the Buzz, Tell Me What’s a Happening?

Maybe , “What’s the Buzz” will trigger memories for some readers of the song of the same title in the play,Jesus Christ Superstar first seen in 1970…Okay, maybe not, but…I’ll tie it in with health care and addiction treatment if you’ll stay with me…

In the ultra popular, while irreverent and highly acclaimed play, Jesus Christ Superstar, Jesus goes about explaining to his disciples, (I paraphrase), “Listen, it’s cool beans what we’re up to, but what we’re up to is not what you think we’re up to.” Hence, the question from his devout followers, “What’s the buzz, tell me what’s a happening?”

So where’ya goin’ with this, Herby?..Well, I must say I’ve been having a nearly religious experience wading through all that’s available out there in the domain of “health care” and of addiction treatment specifically. I’ll attempt to parse out the good news from the bad news…and then maybe we can come to terms with…”what’s a happening.”

As we continue to transition from the old, sick care system to the new, still forming, nebulous health caresystem on the horizon, we see that what we’re up to with respect to the practical applications of getting health care to people who want and need it, remains hog tied by ideas and remnants of the past. This includes seeing last ditch efforts to game the system by offers we can refuse from quick fix artists in every compartmentalized corner of the old guard, sick care approach.

For example, the pharmaceutical industry cashing in on the final scam days of epidemic erectile dysfunction and “low testosterone”, in large part due to decades of the lowering cholesterol numbers campaign–a huge, multivalent farce–you know, that cholesterol which is an essential part of healthy testosterone levels, HELLO?–with Statin drugs! And enter every instant gratification gimmick in the book for weight loss to depression–no wait!–back pain meds, (same convenient pill–eh, just don’t mind the ghastly side effects…). The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, indeed. Lord knows, we need protection…or something like it.

I use the example above of old, trickster behavior–and believe me, there are myriad examples–because it is especially emblematic of the egregious, short sighted assaults to our human genome by in this example, truly emasculating our culture, which can ultimately lead to our inability to procreate and our very extinction. No kidding.

Not to mention the ever changing, stress FULL, electronic paper mill to ensure a military-like malaise in an effort to get the actual product, (less stress/better health) to the public.

So Dude, my head is spinning because when it comes to calling these things health care?…this is not healthy and I care.

And when it comes to addiction treatment, every day I see or hear about the latest and greatest addiction treatment modality that promises at the very least, a quicker path to recovery or at most, “the cure.” A vaccine!…uh, wait a minute, noo…just flush it outa your system and you’re good ta go! Go where?

So for Christ’s sake, (And I write that with all due respect and mean it literally being reared in a Christian tradition and truly honoring the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth) we know, “what’s a happening” in this realm, so let’s get on with the healing, shall we?

Alright, we asked, (Matthew 7: 7-8) for a single payer system, in order for required multi-disciplinary teams necessary for any healing endeavor to freely collaborate without the dreaded threat of incessant competition. The single payer system explicitly offers a symmetrical contract that consumers, (human beings) can get what they want; health care without paying/playing the insurance salesman shuffle game while providers (human beings) get what they want; to be passionately focused/invested in practicing their science and art and not marketing salesmanship 49% of their time.

We asked, but we did not receive…yet.

One dissenting argument is that a single payer system stifles the quality of health care. I disagree. The “argument” is rather, a false flag raised by the insurance industry mafia to ensure continuing to get their “cut.” And therein lies the basis for the entire conundrum. This is where I flash to the scene of the irate Jesus in the the sacred space of the Temple while in the money changer’s midst…you know, wanting to topple over tables and such? Comments and emails, please.

What I want as a health care provider is to enter into a healing relationship with my patient and be paid a commensurate, usual, fair and customary fee. What I want is to help as many people as possible without having to “market” my services or, “keep my numbers up” every waking minute I’m not focused on what I was born to do; Practice while staying on a continuing lifetime study and learning curve. What I want is to circumvent the white noise of the quick fix charlatans of all stripes entirely–and get to the business–theserious business–of helping, truly helping! getting this nation and our world back on a healthy track by doing what I do best; teaching people–one person at a time–how to take great care of themselves so thatthey may get on with doing whatever it is that they do best.

So while in this sick care/health care purgatory, people continue to get and stay sick (the purpose of sick care) when as health care providers we know what to do, we know what’s happening and we have the resources, technology and knowhow about how to deliver health care in a conscious, above board, comprehensive and healing way. This includes an integrated, multidisciplinary approach with evolved, upgraded and wellness oriented healing systems and institutions in every corner left vacant by the unsustainable, old guard, disconnected and disparate systems they replace.

We know how to put together teams of people like spokes on a medicine wheel who are trained to apply the right combination of spokes for just the right folks. Teams committed to continue to keep people wellby teaching them how…by teaching them how…just what the word “doctor” means.

Addiction treatment is the quintessential, perfect candidate to model the new health care system on the horizon in working toward the prototype template for the single payer system we’ve been asking for. Watch for the emergence of just such models, everywhere.

Let’s quit desecrating our temples–our minds, our bodies our good health and our precious lives. Amen to our getting this fundamental, essential part of our living right in this lifetime, because if we do not, what else matters?

We’re at that, “Come to Jesus, pivotal moment” in the evolution of our most important system and institution. Let’s keep asking until we receive.

That’s what’s the buzz and that’s what’s a happening.

Heal on.

Dr. Herby Bell is a chiropractor, Recovery Coach, owner and director of Recovery Health Care, an integrated approach to wellness and addiction treatment in Redwood City, California. For more information please call 650 474 2121 or Email Me.  Connect with me online too:  Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin