Many health issues can be prevented and managed effectively with early detection.
The quality of healthcare has declined steadily in the past decade as the “third party payers”, such as the HMO system, puts priority on dollars over health.
The current “conventional medical model” is disease management as opposed to health prevention and early detection.
We no longer have the luxury of detailed annual examinations and laboratory assessments.
Today, a typical annual physical examination does not comprehensively assess the full health status of patients.
A decade ago, an annual physical exam incorporated extensive Chem 24, complete blood count with differential, thyroid stimulating hormone, and a lipid panel.
A typical exam today involves Chem 7 and lipid panel. Additional tests are no longer routine.
Within the conventional healthcare model, the services rendered to patients are dictated by HMO establishments.
The goal of HMO establishments is to provide service with least amount of cost to the HMO.
“Medically necessary” is a term used for the authorization of certain tests and procedures.
Such criteria is getting increasingly difficult to achieve, which prevents patients from receiving quality care.
With the current model, we are spending more money out of pocket to meet deductibles and many patients are losing faith in this ineffective medical system.
Many patients are misdiagnosed, not diagnosed, or mismanaged in many cases.
Pathological vs Functional Lab Ranges
I recently attended a seminar where I learned about Functional Blood Chemistry. We learned there are two types of ranges in assessing blood chemistry.
The pathological range is used to diagnose disease, while the functional range is used to assess risk for disease and allows for opportunity to prevent disease.
Conventional medicine is focused on detecting disease.
So unless the lab values are in the extreme ranges, they are generally considered “normal” and any intervention or further testing would be considered “medically UNNECESSARY”.
The functional ranges are much more narrow to allow for early detection and prevention.
For example, for Vitamin D, normal levels are between 30-100 nmol/L. This is a very wide range.
For functional labs, we look at 50-80 nmol/L. These are more optimal levels for Vitamin D.
For those patients who are “feeling” suboptimal, assessing the functional lab ranges would be the way to go.
When the patient’s lab values fall outside of the functional range, we can intervene with non invasive lifestyle changes including supplements, herbals, diet, stress management, and exercise.
Empowering Patients
We now offer a heavily discounted full laboratory panel and allow our patients to have access directly to their labs without prescriptions from the doctor.
There are draw sites in all 50 states and this allows you as the patient to be in full control over your health.
If you are feeling suboptimal, yet all the labs ordered by your doctor turn out to be “normal”, you may benefit from functional lab testing.
Call our office today for a consultation! 678-335-5566
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I’ll see you next week.