Dr. Lam Author of
|
|
|
|
|
Continue Reading...
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Next
|
My Doctor Is Killing
Me
Michael Lam, MD, MPH
www.DrLam.com
(READING TIPS: For
fast reading, scan through the topic headings in BOLD BLACK, important conclusions
in BOLD BLUE, and " Must Know " in BOLD RED. To jump to specific sections in this article, click on
the respective LINKS
in the Contents.)
| Before You Begin
Information presented here is for general
educational purposes only. Each one of us is biochemically and metabolically
different. If you have a specific health concern and wish my personalized
nutritional recommendation, write to me by clicking
here. |
Contents
Introduction
Are You Getting the Best
Healthcare Possible?
Progression of Chronic Disease
Aging - A Chronic Disease?
From Research to the Public
Treating Diseases in Sub-Clinical
Stages?
Doctors Practice What They Learn
Can Nutritional
Medicine Treat Sub-Clinical Stages of Disease?
Should You Trust Your Doctor?
Introduction
 "Doctors
Are the Third Leading Cause of Death In the US"
Seems hard to believe, but the most widely circulated medical periodical in
the world, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), published
this information July 26, 2000. The author is Dr. Barbara Starfield of the Johns
Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. According to Dr. Starfield,
225,000 deaths per year are due to causes induced by a physician's activity,
manner, or therapy. These deaths include 12,000 from unnecessary surgery; 7,000
from hospital medication errors; 80,000 from hospital infections; 20,000 from
hospital errors, and 106,000 from non-error but negative effects of drugs.
These estimates are for deaths only and do not include negative effects that
are associated with disability or discomfort.
225,000 deaths per year constitute the third leading cause of death in the United
States, after deaths from heart disease and cancer.
Are You
Getting the Best Healthcare Possible?
Evidence from a few studies indicates that as many as
20% to 30% of patients in America are receiving inappropriate care.
Of 13 countries in a recent comparison, the United States ranks an average
of 12th (second from the bottom) for 16 available health indicators. More
specifically, the ranking of the US on several indicators was:
- 13th for years of potential life
lost (excluding external causes)
- 10th for life expectancy at 40
years for females, 9th for males
- 7th for life expectancy at 65
years for females, 7th for males
- 10th for age-adjusted mortality
The poor performance of the U.S.
health was recently confirmed by a World Health Organization study, which used
different data and ranked the United States as 15th among 25 industrialized
countries.
Could this poor standing be explained
by the lack of medical technology, the lack of able doctors, or the lack of
financial resources?
Lack of technology is certainly not a contributing factor to the U.S.'s
low ranking. Among 29 countries, the United States is second only to Japan
in the availability of magnetic resonance imaging units and computer tomography
scanners per million population. Japan, however, ranks highest on health, whereas
the US ranks among the lowest.
Lack of medical education is not a contributing factor. The average
American doctor spends 8-10 years in medical training prior to practice in their
field of specialty. This is longer than most countries in the world. The quality
and intensity of residency training programs cannot be questioned as well.
Lack of financial budget is not a contributing factor. As a percentage
of gross national product, the amount of money spend on health care in the US
ranks among the top in the world.
There is an obvious problem. What are the missing pieces that contribute to
this low standing?
|
Continue Reading...
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Next
|
|
|
