Thomas’ Acupuncture Clinic
It is now 31 years since I opened my little clinic in this also little town. By reputation my clinic – and me – are somewhat “unusual”.
“Clinic without a menu” … what does that mean?
Since its opening my clinic has always been a “clinic without a menu”.
It seems to be a characteristically modern trend, that every clinic (other than specialized medical clinics) uses some sort of “menu”: where the specified treatment time is measured in units of as little as 5 or 10 minutes and the associated treatment fees too are indicated in small, sometimes even as little as 5 Yen increments (I have seen such menus!).
When a certain treatment modality XXX or materials (like the needles) is added to the basic treatment, these items are then charged extra. Or else, when the originally planned treatment time is exceeded, the patient is charged with XXX money for the “extra time”.
I am sure, this is considered to be “normal” business practice. However, personally I DO NOT agree with this line of thinking.
People visiting my (or any other) clinic are by definition “people”, who “suffer” form some “disease”. THAT is what the Japanese word for “patient = 患者” expresses. Or they are “ill” – by definition the opposite of “well”.
These people are NOT just a collection of detachable parts. If somebody complains about trouble with his/her knee(s), treating ONLY the knees is like the work done in specialized repair shops. If that same person has problems with some other organs and/or pathological conditions, s/he has to go to a different repair shop. The workers in the individual repair shops check/fix ONLY the “parts” they are specialized in. Thus, they loose the overview over the particular machinery to which the particular part belongs.
Oriental medicine is supposed to take care of WHOLE persons
Experts involved in the care of people suffering from diseases are supposed to take care of “PEOPLE“. This is not only a classical doctrine of oriental medicine, but has also be proclaimed by the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, often called the father of modern Western medicine. Reluctantly considering myself a craftsman working in the field of traditional medicine, I run a clinic where there is no menu. How can there be a menu, when I am supposed to (trying to!) look after = care for whole individuals, each of whom are totally unique on this planet?
If possible, I strive to alleviate the suffering of my patients as quickly as possible and with whatever means appears to be indicated (within the scope of my profession), but generally do not specify a treatment time. Using all techniques at my disposal I consider necessary for the particular patient and mostly examining the whole body, always leads to quite extended treatment sessions. But I have never charged any kind of surcharge for as long as I am working as an acupuncturist. And I certainly do NOT intend to change my stance in this matter.
I Do have a list of prices in my waiting room, showing the fees for THE treatment, initial fee as well as materials like moxa etc.
View from the treatment room into the waiting room of my clinic
“In the first half of our lives, we sacrifice our health to gain money;
Very true indeed!
in the second half we sacrifice our money to regain our health.”
Voltaire (1694-1778)
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