Jan 10, 2010
My Practitioner Support team at Energetix constantly surveys the media for interesting articles and perspectives on the rapidly shifting health care industry. One recent article sent to me by Rolando Boye caught my eye and interest. The author, Gregory Stephens, RD, provides an interesting perspective on the recent economy’s impact on supplement use in his article: “The Economy’s Impact on Supplement Use.”
Many of my friends who own small businesses across the country have noted how difficult the past 18 months have been for them. Revenue drops of 20-30 percent seem more the norm than the exception and virtually every industry has been affected. Fortunately, Energetix experienced modest growth in 2009…during what could arguably be described as the trickiest economic landscape we’ve experienced in decades. I imagine that our growth last year may in part be due to a steady and strong surge of interest in complementary and alternative(CAM) medicine, which may have been catalyzed by the seismic shift in consumer behavior precipitated by the Great Recession. Mr. Stephens offers several clues as to why our industry may have been spared: “It is no surprise that the current economic environment has changed consumer behavior on every level. Consumption is being replaced by sustainability, possessions by purpose and perceived value by real value.” Sustainability, purpose and value! Finally, a swell of sanity in the stormy seas of healthcare!
Medical doctors as well as CAM practitioners are wise to take note of this shift. If Mr. Stephens prediction is true, this change in consumer will be permanent. It will transform the way medicine is supplied, based on a newly formatted demand. Patients enjoy having a say in their health. Most appreciate being more educated in the health and lifestyle decisions they make. Patients are increasingly interested in a long-term, sustainable approach, which requires that greater weight be placed on prevention. Who will teach the patients? Who will lead the way? My suggestion is to empower our medical community – the doctors, nurse practitioners and other health care providers – to provide comprehensive healthcare, where prevention is primary and intervention is alternative.
If it is possible to generalize to this extent, the cornerstone of the CAM approach lies in its concern for sustainability and real value. Permanent solutions at the deepest levels of cause to surface symptoms are preferred to the quick fix. The long-term is viewed with equal weight to the short term. The area of concern is considered within the larger context of the whole body. Our simple mission at Energetix is to provide effective products for “a better you and a better world.” We, like the industry we serve, strive to provide sustainable solutions. From the products we create to the relationships we nurture, our aim is to make a meaningful, lasting and valuable impression in our increasingly complex and fast-paced world.
If you are a doctor interested in adding value in the doctor-patient relationship as well as to the financial performance of your clinic or if you are a patient interested in taking greater control of your health, please feel free to discover what Energetix has built for you over the last 15 years on http://www.goenergetix.com or by calling 800-990-7085.
The article mentioned is available online at http://tinyurl.com/yjav7x2.
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