At the risk of sounding holistic, I believe the modern medical system in the US needs a change of thinking from a crisis-oriented care system to a more proactive approach. To me this means going beyond standard disease care and developing a program for helping people stick with recommended changes long enough to see a benefit, not just pushing the latest drug du Jour for the perks coming from the drug companies.

It seems that it is no longer about patient care, but what can be done for the bottom line and what procedure will befit those goals regardless of what the patient may actually need.

One has to wonder what could be accomplished by taking half of a drug company's budget for doctor perks, advertising and Washington lobbyist and re-focused that on patient care and more research.