Autopilot Healthcare Imagine a chart that has a "symptom" column and a "medication" column. Just run your finger down the list of symptoms, find the one you're looking for, move your finger over to the medication column, and easy as that…you're done! This is autopilot healthcare - not really what you're looking for when you visit your doctor. But that's exactly the type of care a friend of mine named Mike received on a recent visit to his doctor. Mike writes: "My wife and I just recently got our health insurance back in place so I said, what better time to get a physical, I haven't been to the Dr in ages. "I made it clear that I wanted to get a physical. A PHYSICAL. So I get there, they get me in quickly, weigh me, take my temp, blood pressure,listen to my heart, listen to my lungs, all seems good. "On my paperwork I filled out I mentioned that I do suffer time to time with depression and anxiety (most likely due to stress, I don't think it's THAT uncommon). Here's the kicker, without the "Dr" even discussing it with me or doing ANY blood tests first or asking me how I felt about it, he prescribes me THREE refills of 20mg Paxil. "Needless to say I won't be returning to him. I located a Doctor that I'm going to contact tomorrow and see if I can get in this week. Crazy times." Last week I sent you the e-Alert "The Good Doctor" (6/30/05), which shows how the medical establishment treats a successful osteopath who practices alternative and complementary medicine. Without a single patient complaint lodged against him, the osteopath has had his license revoked for five years. But Mike's doctor, flying carelessly on autopilot, prescribes a powerful antidepressant without even discussing the matter with his patient, and that's considered proper treatment. Crazy times indeed. | 
