| With all the negative talk about the health care industry | | | | continue to smoke. I'd also like to order an MRI and |
| these days it's easy to overlook some very important, | | | | why don't you throw in a CAT scan while you're at it! |
| highly positive aspects - namely, advances in medical | | | | Let me get the gastric by-pass surgery to. One knee |
| technology. Americans are living longer today than | | | | replacement and my usual 30 day supply of high blood |
| anytime in our history. Advances in modern medicine | | | | pressure meds, anti-depressants, anxiety medicine and |
| have made the seemingly impossible - possible. | | | | my purple pill for acid reflux - to go please". "Will that |
| Technology has improved laboratory testing; allowing | | | | be all sir/madam?" "That will be all for now". |
| for the development of CT scans, MRI's, and PET | | | | I don't mean to sound flippant about such important |
| scan imaging to improve diagnosis accuracy. New | | | | matters. Really, I know how vital these advancements |
| advancements in treating heart disease have made it | | | | are to changing the lives of some many. However, |
| possible to treat a potential heart attack within minutes | | | | we're under some kind of illusion that we can have |
| rather than hours. | | | | such a high demand for all these amazing wonders in |
| Hospitals have highly trained and technologically savvy | | | | medical science and not have costs spiral out of |
| medical professionals available a round-the-clock to | | | | control. Our Government is making a promise that they |
| treat patients. Cure rates for critical illnesses are up. | | | | just can't keep. We can't possibly stay on our current |
| The pharmaceutical industry has produced a myriad of | | | | course and be able to effectively reduce health care |
| new drugs to effectively treat anything from high | | | | costs. Furthermore, if we stifle advancement in the |
| cholesterol to reducing the effects of clogged arteries. | | | | medical community by a massive government |
| There are drugs for treating impotence, depression, | | | | takeover then the only result will be to reduce the level |
| high blood pressure, osteoporosis and anxiety. | | | | of advancement. |
| Successful organ transplants and joint replacements | | | | The other myth that we fall prey to is that we can |
| have increased the quality of life for countless | | | | reduce the cost of health care without making any |
| Americans. These are all some amazing | | | | personal sacrifices to our current lifestyle choices. If |
| advancements that each one of us should be grateful | | | | we don't become a national that values health and |
| for. | | | | wellness again we can forget about making any real |
| However, these modern miracles have created an | | | | and sustainable impact on our nations health care |
| unhealthy level of expectation with so many | | | | costs. Obesity, for example, is related to so many |
| Americans that wrongly think we can have our cake | | | | controllable and preventable medical conditions. We |
| and eat it to. It's gotten to the point where Americans | | | | need to take more personally accountability for our |
| act as though they're going up to the drive-thru | | | | own health and well-being and stop looking to the |
| window to order their health care. It might sound | | | | government or the medical profession to take care of |
| something like this, "may we help you sir/madam?" | | | | us from cradle to grave and start with making right |
| "Yes, I'll have one upper GI and a lower GI, I'd like 5 | | | | lifestyle choices today. No one will look out for you |
| different inhalers to improve my lung function so I can | | | | better than you! |