A note from Doctor Benjamin
I love my job and I love my patients. Each patient becomes a part of my extended family and likewise I become a part of theirs. I am not afraid to become involved emotionally and to share all the moments of their lives and mine (good, bad and challenging). Being a doctor is a privilege from God and being your doctor is a privilege that you give me. I do what I do from my heart and soul. All of the years that I have spent as an administrator and academic have never been as fulfilling for me as being a practicing primary care doctor. I believe in prayer with and for my patients although I would never force my spirituality on them. I respect the beliefs and needs of others.
Health care is more than living longer. It's preventing disease, maintaining a state of well being and optimizing health. I believe that we should feel our best, look our best and enjoy every minute that we have on earth. My job is to facilitate and empower you. I choose to employ the least harmful treatment modality first and I mix both conventional medicine and alternative therapies to offer you true choices in your care.
The pillars of optimal health:
Physical Well Being
Emotional Well Being
Spiritual Well Being
Safe Environment
Good Nutrition
Moderate Exercise
Safe Food Sources
Stable Social and/or Family Environment
Financial Stability
Preventive Care
Affordable Health Care and Insurance
Emotional Well Being
Spiritual Well Being
Safe Environment
Good Nutrition
Moderate Exercise
Safe Food Sources
Stable Social and/or Family Environment
Financial Stability
Preventive Care
Affordable Health Care and Insurance
A Bit More
Very often, I am confused for a Naturopathic Doctor. But I am not. I am a medical doctor (MD) who practices what has been called "integrative medicine". In practice, I employ whatever I believe will be most effective, have fewer side effects and be least expensive for my patient. DO NO HARM IS ALWAYS FOREMOST IN MY!!! I typically use conventional medicine, herbs, nutritional substances, dietary strategies, exercise, mind/body interventions, acupuncture, music, prayer, physical medicine, vibrational medicine and homeopathy in my daily practice.
I am very politically aware because I believe that we have a medical system that in truth does not serve anyone well—even the rich, although they may not know it. I do not believe—as most Americans still do—that more pills, testing and medical care automatically means better health. I do not believe that more specialists make for better medicine. In fact, I believe quite the opposite! I have a radio show on KTAR FM 92.3—Saturdays at 2PM AZT (you can listen online at KTAR.com) where I talk about health related politics and economics, as well as medical care and health concerns. During the show I answer questions, and you are invited to comment or ask what you see fit here on my blog or call in on the show. Unlike others in the media, I am a practicing primary care doc (everyday AND on the weekends!) and my show is NOT sponsored by any medical organization or manufacturer, so I am free to say what I believe and get the truth out there. I have been around a bit—through the advent of neighborhood community health centers, to international health and family planning (International Family Planning Federation), to establishing what I am proud to say was a world class center for integrative medicine for Catholic Healthcare West in Arizona. I then went into academics at State University of New York at Stony Brook School of Medicine, and then served as Corporate Medical Director of Integrative Health Services for Humana Inc. I owned a private practice somewhere in there, and founded a nutritional substance and retail store group which ended with me out and a family member taking it over. Hmmmmm! I am really a doctor and an observer/diagnostician. I am not a terribly good business man. So many Doctors are lost. Many are disenfranchised, and still others are only in it for a buck—which is going to become increasingly elusive for them to come by. Still others should have been cooks, or painters or… I do not know what (!!) because they are not prepared for the grueling but fulfilling life that you inherit in this profession.
So, what DO I believe in? I believe in you and God. I believe in the power of people to take charge of their lives and their health. I am NOT an elitist. I REALLY believe in a health democracy. I am NOT better than you! IF people are given honest information and are motivated—just a bit—people do great with their own health. I believe in hope. I believe in honesty and REAL transparency. I tell patients when my treatments are proven or unproven. I am not afraid to let people know me as I know them in practice. I have the BEST job because I am given the PRIVILEGE to be a part of my patient's lives, and I return by sharing mine with them. Risky? Yes! Rewarding? More than you can know. I am a health inspector. I am not a sage BUT my experience helps me analyze the here and now because I have some experience to call upon. I am skeptical of "new" health systems and empty promises. I do NOT believe that the government does a very good job managing anything—BUT—in health care the private sector has NOT been any more efficient. The private sector has done terrible things (HMO's- yuch!!!!) and helped contribute in many ways to our health care crisis.
