If Big Medicine--the counterpart to Big Government, Big Oil, Big Business, Big Science, and Big Religion--has a capitol city it is Boston. Home of MBH--Man's Best Hospital--and The House of God, among other world famous institutions, Boston is medicine on major steroids. Hah-vahd. BU. Tufts. When I was interviewing at these places for residency, a woman (a med student at Tufts) asked me in a very snotty way how I, a lowly med student from the University of California, got interviews there. I have to say I was young and arrogant enough to tell her that it might have had something to do with being first in my class. She was speechless. Boston has an excellent community health program. Massachusetts has "universal" health care coverage. There are pharmacies on every corner. Yet the health of Bostonians is no better than that of people in any other American city, and probably a lot worse than most.
Big Medicine is about SICK CARE. Real health care is about prevention and taking care of ones self and others. It's about mental health, exercise, and a life that makes sense. It's about sobriety in all its manifestations. It's not about the biggest or best hospital or the largest endowment or reputation. Real health is seen only among people who care enough about themselves and others that they participate in a healthy community.
Boston rocks. But as I spend the coming weekend there I'd rather have health than Big Medicine.
Big Medicine is about SICK CARE. Real health care is about prevention and taking care of ones self and others. It's about mental health, exercise, and a life that makes sense. It's about sobriety in all its manifestations. It's not about the biggest or best hospital or the largest endowment or reputation. Real health is seen only among people who care enough about themselves and others that they participate in a healthy community.
Boston rocks. But as I spend the coming weekend there I'd rather have health than Big Medicine.
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