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FAQ's
Q. What does Vibrant Health Plus mean? Aren't there enough "health care" books out there already? A. The term "Vibrant Health Plus" refers to a level of health above and beyond "normal." This higher level of health and well-being can be achieved, and would be with the new health care system proposed in this book. And yes, there are a lot of health care books out there, but most of them are in the "How To" category: they are intended to help readers help themselves using vitamins, herbs, exercise programs and numerous other approaches. This is not that type of book. This book addresses a completely different issue: the radical revamping of the entire health care system. Vibrant Health Plus: The Real Medical Revolution proposes a profound C yet feasible C systematic and structural change in medical care, broadly affecting everything from the research center to the physician's office. Q. Doesn't the United States already have the greatest and most advanced health care system in the world? A. If compared with past practices, our system is highly advanced, particularly in the areas of trauma, emergency care, and surgery. But when compared with what is currently possible, the system is seriously flawed. First, it is limited by the human mind, which cannot possibly analyze all the factors of our environment that contribute to wellness or disease. Second, the current system is disease-oriented, treating symptoms rather than eliminating the causes of disease. With new viruses appearing and antibiotic-resistant bacteria evolving (from the overuse of antibiotics), the options for cures become fewer, and the prevention of disease and promotion of health becomes of the greatest importance. The proposed new health care system takes into account all of the factors that affect human health - including environmental factors. The difference between the current level of knowledge about these factors and the knowledge that would be available with the proposed system is as profound and dramatic as if you were working in the dark and someone suddenly turned on the lights. Q. Exactly what is the system that you are proposing? A. The book proposes a medical system that is to some degree based on common sense, involving the application of advanced electronic technology that is presently being overlooked. As strange as it may seem, that technology is the computer. The computer-based system being proposed is called the Computer Correlated Test Information (CCTI) system. A powerful, all-inclusive system, that's designed to directly confront current medical problems using the latest advances in clinical laboratory science. Harnessing the power of new supercomputers to examine, analyze, and correlate millions of biological details and the literally trillions of possible relationships between them. The results of this research (conducted on a nationwide basis) would be shared with physicians' offices through state diagnostic centers. Q. Isn't the medical profession already using computers? A. Yes, but other than general office management applications where computers are used for storage and retrieval functions, much of the electronic technology being applied falls into the control-type of application - usually the control of specific pieces of equipment such as surgical or diagnostic tools and machines. There is no application of the computer today being used on a broad-scale basis for assimilating and correlating medical information solely in the best interest of the public. The CCTI system will be applying the vast analytic power of the computer (including the supercomputer) within a newly designed and sophisticated medical system. It would gather and correlate mammoth amounts of data pertinent to human health, from a wide range of sources including clinical laboratory science and environmental studies. Q. On what basis is the author qualified to evaluate the present medical system, let alone propose such a radically new one? A. The author has a background in electronic engineering and years of experience overseeing the design, engineering, manufacture, and installation of large-scale computer-based information systems for the auto industry. Along with the problem-solving approach of an engineer it's possible to bring forth knowledge of electronic and computer systems - and a fresh, outside perspective -- to the health care debate. As far as evaluating the current medical system, it isn't necessary to
have a formal medical education to see major weaknesses in the present
health care system. They are obvious to the layperson. While costs soar,
debilitating and often fatal diseases are widespread and on the increase
in the U.S., causing incalculable suffering and agony with few individuals
left untouched by their deadly consequences. For example, after more than
40 years and billions of dollars looking for a cancer cure, cancer rates
are still rising. The incidence of diabetes and Alzheimer=s is increasing,
along with arthritis, allergies, pulmonary disorders, sexually transmitted
diseases and many others. Even some of the old scourges, like tuberculosis,
are coming back. A. No. The positive and vital aspects of the present medical system would be preserved and incorporated into the new, broader system. However, significant changes in the way information is accumulated, arranged, and processed will occur in the physician's office, to provide the physician with the vital knowledge developed and shared through the CCTI system. This new way of handling information will also create a source of accountability data about the doctor and his or her practice, which will be readily available to all prospective patients. Q. Along with changes in the physician's office, how else would the CCTI system change the role of the physician? A. The new system will provide physicians with the latest information collected and developed by the massive CCTI database, taking the guesswork out of diagnosis and treatment. Furthermore, a performance record will be kept on physicians and made available to patients. This record would include the doctor's qualifications, experience in different kinds of procedures, success versus failure rates, malpractice records, etc. Making physicians' records available to the consumer will have a very beneficial effect on highly qualified physicians, though undoubtedly a negative effect on mediocre ones, ultimately increasing the overall standards of the profession. Top-rated physicians will be in great demand, and awarded appropriately. Hospitals would also be required to make their own records easily accessible to patients and the public. In this way, patients will be better able to make decisions about their treatment, and market forces will act to both improve quality and lower costs. Q. If files are collected in huge computer systems, aren't they prone to abuse by the government and private interests? A. Yes, they are. That is why confidential files would not be stored anywhere except in the doctor's office, which is the current practice. In fact, there are special provisions in the new system to stop the abuse of confidential files, which already occurs in doctors' offices today. Q. Speaking of costs, we already have a very expensive system. Isn't the proposed system just throwing more money at the problem? A. On the contrary. The proposed system projects major savings as high as 40% after 10-15 years of operation in both government and individual health care costs. The book devotes a chapter to this topic. Q. In addition to the expected savings, what are the major benefits of the proposed system? A. Among the many benefits (described in the book), that can be expected, are a significant reduction in disease, a major improvement in health and productivity, and a substantially higher quality of life lasting to a much older age. Q. This sounds good for patients, but is the current medical system
going to embrace such broad changes? A. No. The new system is designed with only the public's best interest in mind; it is not designed to further enhance the medical profession as such. As a result, it is felt that the present medical establishment will resist any such change. Many doctors will object because they will lose a degree of control, while the degree of accountability for the quality of their work would increase dramatically. On a larger scale, health care (being one of the country's largest industries), drug companies, and other interests profit from the present disease-oriented system in place today and would lose out once successful preventive measures are discovered and applied. A secondary fallout would be that the producers of environmental contaminants would also be held accountable when their products are shown to cause or promote human disease. Q. Given the powerful forces that will likely oppose change, in all practicality, could the new system ever be implemented? A. Yes, absolutely, but only if the public takes a serious, personal, and active interest. Without widespread grassroots support for legislation to develop the system, it could be another 100 to 150 years before it happens. Remember, this system is designed solely around the public's needs and best interests. The present medical system continues to pursue its own business interests, which unfortunately too often run counter to the public's. Q. What can an individual do personally to help promote such a system? A. First off, read this book. I believe you will find the way such a system would affect your own life very interesting. Vibrant Health Plus: The Real Medical Revolution is fast moving, loaded with new information and concepts, and written for the layperson. It requires no technical training. Secondly, help spread the word, tell your friends about it and write
or call your legislators. This could dramatically change life for you
and your loved ones, as well as improve the general human condition.
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