Gesundheit [Paperback]

 

 

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Patch Adam's life was portrayed by Robin Williams on the Hollywood Movie with the same name. Nevertheless, Patch Adam's life isn't just what you see in the movie, actually it is much more interesting and valueble when you read the true insights of this now-famous doctor.

Patch proposes a new way to treat diseases, by treating the persons. Humor, fun, magic tricks, sunsets, animals, or whatever is needed to make a person feel better and forget about his/her pain; is his philosophy.

The book describes the road Patch has taken to fullfill his dream, and the goals he has fixed for himself and his team. Working to give free, highest quality medicine is not an easy job. Still Patch smiles with his red nose, clownish hair, and funny clothes. You can never get enough about Patch, he is inspiring, funny, and intelligent. Surely this book will make you rethink lots of concepts and ideas. Great Book!!!

I loved the movie PATCH ADAMS, starring Robin Williams . . . even though it got mostly poor to fair reviews, see it if you can . . . you'll be uplifted by the true story of a doctor who has challenged the foundations of modern medicine not only by making healthcare personal, but by making it free . . . the movie naturally took some liberties with Adams' life, so for the whole tale I just heard the taped version of GESUNDHEIT! . . . this gives all the details
of how he and a few colleagues in 1971 founded the Gesundheit
Institute--a free hospital in West Virginia . . . it is dedicated to an unorthodox view of medicine and of the patient-doctor relationship: one employing laughter, listening and mutual respect . . . imagine being able to see a doctor and actually smiling when you do . . . and have him or her smile back at you! . . . you'll come away thinking that health care could be different; i.e., if practitioners would take heed of Adams' advice . . . the narration by Artie Johnson (of LAUGH-IN fame)was excellent.

Behind Patch Adams clown nose and jokes lies a social revolutionary who has devoted his life to transforming the health care system. In his book "Gesundheit" he shares a vision of a free holistic medical practice based on faith, friendship and fun. Adams life and work even inspired the producers of Universal Studios to make a movie titled "Patch Adams" staring Robin Williams.
Patch Adams is the founder of Gesundheit, a holistic home-based medical practice that managed to see more than 15,000 people without bills, malpractice insurance, formal facilities and paper work. Adams' vision is a wake-up call for all of us.
Like Adams I became discouraged when the art of counseling and medicine was replaced by the science of business and technology. During my 20 years of working as a children's counselor at a Mental Health Center I witnessed how mental health and medicine, the nations number one industries today, shifted from the community to the corporate level. When the loving human interchange between a client and counselor became more a business transaction, and the paperwork not the people became the bulk of our services due to fear of litigation, I decided it was time to retire.
In "Gesundheit" Adams discourages health care professionals from carrying malpractice insurance. When fear is the baseline from which to practice healing it encourages caregivers to prescribe "cookbook" treatments even when they believe them to be inadequate or potentially harmful. Fear and distrust makes physicians reluctant to explore alternate therapy and leads them to put patients through procedures and tests that are unnecessary and defensive. When professionals see patients as passive recipients of wisdom there is no room for humility or mistakes. A malpractice climate denies physicians the right to be imperfect.
Third-party reimbursement is also a problem. It has diverted medicine from a service to a business and become a circus act with many hoops to jump through. Doctors tend to over-order tests and overdo procedures when patients are insured. It's easier to order tests than provide care or comfort. Hospital supply companies, medical technology and pharmaceutical firms have become multimillion dollar moguls of medicine.
Another problem is that the professional distance ethic often leads to aloofness and arrogance. Many patients are described as diseases, lab values, or treatments. When people are called the names of their diseases other facets of the patient's life are neglected such as family, friends, faith, fun, work, nutrition and exercise. Life itself is bigger than illness, diagnosis, treatment and disease.
When touching is taboo and getting close to clients is forbidden we loose the magic of vulnerability and trust in a relationship. Healing happens in the relationship between the healer and the patient. A healer cannot offset the pain and suffering of a client without intimacy. Healers need the freedom to cry with and hug their patients. Transference is inevitable. Every human being has some kind of impact on another. A solid relationship creates a loving, human, creative, cooperative and open environment.
Privacy or confidentiality rules make intimacy difficult. Public disclosure strengthens relationships and helps develop a greater sense of support and understanding. Like 12-step programs the surrendering of privacy is the cornerstone of friendship and an antidote to loneliness. Our stories are important and listening to each other's stories provides the magic for healing. We are a tribal people and we need community. We need to move from the insurance of cash to the insurance of clan.
Progress has become synonymous with "advances in technology." Although modern medicine has made great strides in knowledge and technology, health care professionals are rarely vibrant with the joy of human service. Many doctors feel naked without their instruments and machines. Even though comfort, empathy, and reassurance-so vital to a medical practice requires no technology. Our magic as healers is not in our tools but in ourselves.
We also need to integrate humor and nature in healing work. Humor is a powerful antidote to pain and nature tops the list of potent stress reducers. An individual's health cannot be separated from their natural and human environment and wellness needs to include prevention of ecological disasters.
Adams' book "Gesundheid" is an excellent summary of how today's high-tech medicine has become too costly, dehumanized, mistrustful and grim and gives us a vision of what good health care could be. We not only need a better health care system but a healthier one. Profit, paperwork, medication, and medical procedures cannot be a substitute for time spent talking to and observing patients.
Mother Teresa's Mission of Charity has provided free services to the poor in over 52 continents since 1952. They accept donations from individuals not companies and have not only survived but thrived. Gesundheit, a non-religious modern day version of the Missions of Charity, also offers free services in faith not fear. Both demonstrate how giving is intoxicating and produce intimacy as a byproduct. Both show how fulfillment that comes from service is one of the great medicines of life.
Although most of us cannot give our services away for free we can learn from Adams' vision. Putting people before profit is a win win situation. When people are happy they're less likely to litigate and surprise, surprise the business ends up making a profit.

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5.0 out of 5 stars A truly fun and heart warming book
If you have seen the movie Patch Adams, the screen writers took some liberties with the life of Mr. Adams. Read more

Published on Jun 5 2001 by JMack

2.0 out of 5 stars Too ideal and unrealistic. But gives me a hope to live.
To tell the truth, I was a little disappointed by the book. Before reading the book, I had a high expectancy. I wondered how the clown doctor thinks about the medicine. Read more

Published on Mar 6 2000 by Takanori Abe

5.0 out of 5 stars A BREATH OF FRESH AIR
This book describes one of my fondest dreams come true. Ever since I was a little girl I knew there was something wrong with the way I was living; raised by my grandmother,... Read more

Published on Nov 1 1999 by Nicoletta Manns (snmanns@netco...

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
What I believe is all professions have become stagnant over years, and held taht way by the people at the top so that they do not lose their importance... Read more

Published on Aug 25 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars don't knock it till you've tried it
READ THE BOOK, WATCH THE MOVIE AND THEN TRY THIS SIMPLE TEST ;

on a day when you have pain, place yourself into a situation that you know will make you earnestly laugh AND THEN... Read more

Published on Aug 1 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic social revolution in the making !
Dr. Hunter D. "Patch" Adams is one of those rare social prophets who sacrifice their entire lives for the belief that a common good for the whale of a humanity can be... Read more

Published on May 3 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars Should be a textbook for Health Care students.
This book is a must-read for all aspiring (and current) Health Care Professionals. If you don't agree with his political views, you hafta LOVE his methods of patient relations. Read more

Published on Feb 18 1999

2.0 out of 5 stars Not what the synopsis says it is!
Except for a brief introduction, this is not the "hilarious story of Patch Adams" as the synopsis says. Read more

Published on Feb 2 1999 by J. Lord

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book
For all those patients who are suffering with your HMO and all those doctors who are wondering if medicine will every be a joy again, read this book. Dr. Read more

Published on Jan 13 1999

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