In the study of economics, an externality is defined as a cost
or benefit, not transmitted through prices, incurred by a party
who did not agree to the action causing the cost or benefit.

A classic, obvious and relevant example of this in its negative
form is pollution. These external costs, by their nature,
are extremely hard to quantify and ubiquitously underestimated.

As we reach a tipping point where these externalities effect enough
people to change the collective will towards them, a new method
must emerge that leads to a more socially, rather than individually,
optimal level of production.

Holism is the concept that all the properties of a given system cannot
be determined or explained by its component parts alone, attention
needs to be paid to the interdependence of systems.
It therefore seems that the type of approach needed
to solve this problem a holistic approach.

Holistic medicine approaches are often sniggered at by the mainstream
medical and scientific communities, especially in the United States.
The scientific method is based on the idea of changing one variable
at a time in a given time period and measuring its effect on other variables.
However, given the immensely complex interconnection of systems in the body,
how is this reductionist approach serving us? Not well… the statistics bear this out.

As Gulf Oil spills, climate change and choking air pollution lead to a
greater collective desire for responsibility to be taken by those producing
negative externalities in industry, what ‘symptoms’ will it take for healthcare
stakeholders in the USA to change the way medicine is practiced?

If four of the five most expensive diseases in the USA have ‘modifiable’
risk factors, surely this is evidence enough?

What about the cost of Medicare in 40 years?

Doctors in private practice are in prime position to take ownership
for this problem and lead the way in making a huge difference to the
future health of our country.

I am convinced that the positive externalities of this change will
reverberate around the globe (and be ubiquitously underestimated!).

Holistic Practice Development assists doctors to make the practical changes
necessary to incorporate this paradigm successfully. Salient modifications
are necessary to systems, product and service mix, marketing, clinical protocols,
personnel, patient flow and patient education strategies. Our team is dedicated
to providing full spectrum support on this journey.

The time is now!

Sincerely,
James Maskell
CEO