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The First World Congress On:
Controversies in Obstetrics, Gynecology & Infertility |
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Can We Do More? What Matters Matter (Conventional and Complementary Care)
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As allopathic physicians, by obligation to society, we are appropriately skeptical of unproven health claims. The tools we have used to sort out false from valid have the “scientific method” and “p-values”. Both have helped shape much of the good science physicians now do. Both must continue. But should we exclude all other, as yet unproven, ways. Not to the extent of excluding common sense, or so it would seem. Not to the point of stifling ourselves in asking the deep-seated/endless questions, “can we do more?”. Perhaps, then, it is time to take a closer look at what others can provide patients to complement our care. In asking the question, “Can we do more?”, the staff of Women’s Oncology began a “pilot program” in 1993 which offered complementing modalities like massage, to patients receiving conventional chemotherapy. The overwhelming favorable response to this small step started our “Complementing Care Program”, now available to all patients and their families. Expansion of the “Complementing Care Program” was accelerated by patients, staff and volunteers who brought their thoughtful ideas about the “little things” that might better the experience. Today, the Program still continues to evolve but includes such modalities as therapeutic massage, aroma therapy massage, the animal companion programs, nutrition services, meditation, the art support group, music, drumming and poetry projects. Our experience in what we have learned will be shared. In the end, we, the providers of health care, make many “assumptions” about cancer, (a metaphor of sorts) cancer treatment, and who/what diseases should be treated under different circumstances. For example, what “p-value diverse” criteria should be considered in cancer treatment recommendations. But, what about “human-values” or ways to simply make someone feel relatively better? How do they fit in these considerations? Are they as important as p-values in the foundation of (cancer) care? And, what about “alternative”, or is it complementing care? Does it have a role? Can it be integrated? Finally, in considering what matters matter...where can we look for answers and creativity when “p-values” no longer guide the way? Transitional in nature, increasingly philosophic and personal, this session/interaction is about, in part, what we think we learned/sensed about these universal matters....somewhere along the way.
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