STEVE JOBS AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

The Human "Aura"

“I didn’t want my body to be opened…I didn’t want to be violated in that way.”

–  Steve Jobs on his decision to pursue alternative treatment

I just read an article which claims that Steve Jobs regretted his decision to undergo alternative medicine treatment for his pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, which resulted in his death a few weeks ago.  According to Walter Isaacson, who has written a biography on Steve Jobs, by the time the former Apple CEO made a decision to discontinue alternative treatments, the tumor in his pancreas had already spread to surrounding areas.  Thus, from a supposedly good prognosis, his condition deteriorated and proved to be fatal.

The relatively new revolution called Alternative Medicine  has evolved over the past few years.  Just like Steve Jobs, there are individuals who opt to try alternative treatments to cure common and not so common illnesses.  The claim of alternative medicine practitioners is that it is safe and it works. While most people accept that conventional medicine is essential for emergency treatments, some sectors believe mainstream treatment is less effective when it comes to disease prevention, chronic disease management, and even in cancer therapy. These are the realms where alternative medicine is usually practiced, and it has supposedly earned millions of dollars for its business proponents.  In fact, a number of large tertiary hospitals, both public and private, have started to offer alternative medicine services.

So how does alternative medicine claim to differ from allopathic or conventional medicine?

First, alternative medicine practitioners claim that their practice is more holistic, treating patients as a whole individual instead of breaking them down into organ systems.  According to them, too much specialization has crept into allophathic medicine practitioners.

Secondly, alternative medicine says that it is less aggressive in treating disease, which means that it does no rely on a “quick fix” approach.  They claim to rely on more gentle modalities, and allow the body to heal on its own.

Third, some sectors maintain that allopathic medicine is based on too many strict rules.  To some, it seems as if the guidelines of allopathic medicine practitioners cannot be violated or interpreted in any other way, for fear of malpractice suits.

Fourth is the assertion that conventional medicine seemingly views the body as a machine, and most disorders are best treated with drugs. Alternative medicine claims to assert that the body is “a network of channels” involving simple energy transfer mechanisms. Impediments in the flow of energy through these channels lead to ailments, and the goal of the healer is to remove these impediments or “energy flow blockers”.

Lastly, alternative medicine alleges that it is more open to participative and coordinated treatment with patients, while conventional medicine is more paternalistic in approach, with patient opinions not listened to or dismissed as unscientific.

How do we resolve these differences in mind-set?  The key is to incorporate the best characteristics of alternative and allopathic medicine in order to enhance health care.  The ability to establish scientific evidence is a strength of allopathic medicine, but some of its practitioners truly pale in comparison to alternative medicine proponents in terms of patient interaction – the “art” of medicine, so to speak.  By combining the science and art of medical management, incorporating both ideologies into the education of future physicians, an integrated and complementary approach would benefit everyone.  Alternative treatments must be researched in order to establish their effectivity through evidence-based studies.  In turn, conventional medicine practitioners must see the whole person and be more  open to conversation to establish a more trusting relationship with patients and their families.

Related articles

• Did Steve Jobs’ flirtation with alternative medicine kill him? (update) (scienceblogs.com)

IF STEVE JOBS WERE A PHYSICIAN

Image via Wikipedia

Today a great innovator passed away.  Steve Jobs, the techno-savvy former Apple CEO, left a legacy that will be felt for generations to come.  For someone who was never the leader of a nation, much less a politician, his influence has transcended national boundaries.  Some say he is the Thomas Edison of our time – an adopted, college dropout who pursued his dreams and came out successful in his short lifetime.  He will surely be missed.

But what if Jobs were in healthcare?  What if he were a physician?  What could he have done?

With his creativity and passion, I’m sure Jobs would have done the following:

1.  Create an instructional design to make medical education more interesting.  He has done in with computers. The lifeless box used to be appreciated only by intellectuals and electronics professionals.   Today, even non-computer geeks are talking about tweeting, blogging, and downloading.  I’d like to think that Jobs would have created a software program that medical professionals could use to enhance medical instruction, making it more interactive and interesting.  Maybe future doctors  would not have to push themselves too much to study and learn.

2.  Redesign hospitals and healthcare institutions.  Perhaps we’d see more EQ-laden frontliners in hospitals and clinics, with adequate lighting and snappily designed rooms and hallways that would stimulate healing the moment one steps in.  And of course, reduce the red tape and systematize access to care, making it easier and hassle-free.

3.  Revolutionize health care marketing, with more emphasis on a pull instead of a push strategy.  Hospitals would then focus on creating educational content to introduce their complex products and services, place them on the internet, and attract people to their websites because of the amazing content therein.  No more need for boring, straightforward, copywrited content from “experts” who do nothing but harp on technological advancements without listening to the pulse of the common man.

4.  Be an example of true leadership in health care.  Someone who would dare to wear jeans and an ordinary t-shirt instead of showy long white gowns in order to create an image of approachability instead of aloofness.  A physician leader who is confident about his ability and skill and is not threatened by the emergence of young leaders who could one day take his place.  Someone who is willing to transfer knowledge to others.  And an innovator who is willing to learn from other industries to come up with new products and services that would benefit mankind in the long run.

Someday, somehow, I know the Steve Jobs in health care will come.  Hopefully he is just around the corner.  Because we need him now.  ASAP.