Lynn D Carlisle, DDS writes a book and publishes a web site on a *new model of dental practice.
Lynn Carlisle, DDS has written a *book and developed a web site on a *new model of health care based on developing exceptional, caring doctor-patient relationships. He gives dentists information and ideas on how to implement this new model and reclaim or improve this vital relationship with patients.
*While this book and the In a Spirit of Caring web site were developed for dentists, they have excellent applicability for physicians - especially those who what to escape the frustrations of managed care. This way of practicing is called health-centered or relationship-based dentistry. It is a new model for health care, but it was pioneered in dentistry starting in the 1960's.
Press Release, Carbondale, Colorado -- February 6, 2006
Health care is personal. This statement seems like the hysterical discovery of the obvious. The doctor-patient relationship is what personalizes health care, but it is taking a beating. Both doctors and patients are frustrated with the breakdown of this critical relationship and the loss of the human dimensions of health care. Many forces have battered this foundation of health care.
Lynn Carlisle, DDS states, "Numerous studies show health care treatment outcomes improve with a good doctor-patient relationship. Yet, the emphasis on technology, techniques, risk management, science, cost efficiency, and the shifting requirements of the government, insurance companies and employers make it difficult for doctors and patients to develop and maintain this important relationship."
There is a growing body of evidence that the government and insurance companies through managed care are trying to destroy the doctor-patient relationship and covertly ration health care.
Carlisle has written a book and developed a web site www.spiritofcaring.com to help doctors reclaim or improve their relationships with their patients and implement this new model of health and wellness care. This new model is called relationship-based or health-centered dentistry because of it's emphasis on the importance of the doctor-patient relationship and its focus on health and wellness instead of disease.
He used his years of experience as a practicing dentist in Fort Collins, Colorado, research in helping relationships, and his post-graduate education in psychology to write "In a Spirit of Caring -- Understanding and finding meaning in the doctor-patient relationship". This same experience went into developing the In a Spirit of Caring web site.
Carlisle said, "Early in my dental career, I was very frustrated with my inability to communicate with my patients. This frustration led to my lifelong interest in the human dimensions of health care. The practice of dentistry has unique circumstances that led me and others in dentistry to explore these human dimensions and how they help patients become healthier. This work led to a new model of health care."
In his book, he shares his journey from seeing his role as a dentist from a traditional expert/patient relationship to a meeting of equals in a partnership for healing, health and wellness.
The book has been very well received - particularly by dentists.
• "Every dentist must read this book. The philosophy so beautifully expressed is based on sound principles and should be a model for all of us to live by." Bill Lockard, DDS.
• "In this era of relationship, Lynn's sensitive, insightful portrait of self-discovery is an essential resource for every member of the health care team." Doug Young, MBA
• "He combines the best from modern person-centered psychology, with the experience of outstanding practitioners to provide a challenging blue print for new and more effective and satisfying relationships between dentists and their clientèle." Arthur Combs, PhD
*Carlisle is currently writing a revised version of the book. He also has developed a web site for doctors called www.spiritofcaring.com. The books and web site explore how a facilitative, caring doctor-patient relationship is the foundation for effective, humane health care. They help dentists understand and implement this new model of practicing dentistry.
The In a Spirit of Caring web site expands on the book and provides dentists and other health care professionals articles, a discussion forum, a library and resource center on the doctor/patient relationship.
Comments on the In a Spirit of Caring web site:
"ISOC is a must..."
"Check it out."
"ISOC is a gold mine."
"A great resource."
"ISOC reminds me of the bigger picture..."
"ISOC renews my focus on team and clients."
"ISOC helps me become a master at what I do..."
"ISOC resonates with me completely."
"Joining the ISOC family is a real bargain and goes a long way in keeping our dreams alive for generations."
He is a past president of the Larimer County Dental Society, was on the Board of Directors of The Pankey Institute, was president of the Bob Barkley Foundation (a learning community for new models of health care), and is a Fellow of the American Academy of General Dentistry. He was an early pioneer in wellness. He made prevention, health and wellness the focus of his private practice of dentistry starting in the late 60's. He also helped develop the early wellness programs for Colorado State University, Poudre Valley hospital and the Poudre R-1 school district in Ft. Collins.
He practiced relationship-based/health-centered dentistry in Fort Collins, Colorado for 37 years and is the publisher and editor of the In a Spirit of Caring web site.
Questions and answers:
Q. What are the unique circumstances in dentistry that led to relationship-based/health-centered dentistry taking a leading role in developing effective, caring doctor-patient relationships?
A. Dentistry is one of the great success stories of the second half of the 20th century. Research into the cause of decay and gum disease and dentistry's advocacy of dental health education and public prevention measures led to knowledge in how to control two of the three most common diseases -- decay and gum disease. (The common cold is the third.)
Dental diseases are lifestyle diseases. The correction or elimination of decay and gum disease is dependent upon the patient's commitment and active involvement in correcting the risk factors that led to the dental disease. So, relationship-based/health-centered dentistry is in the behavior change and lifestyle business. It has the experience to help patients and health care go beyond a disease focus to a health and wellness focus.
Dentists and their team members had to learn how to become educators and counselors to help their patients eliminate the risk factors for dental disease. They had to learn how to create helping relationships by learning how to listen and facilitate learning instead of telling patients what to do.
A group of people in dentistry (Bob Barkley, DDS, LD Pankey, DDS, Wilson Southam, Mike Schuster, DDS, Bob Frazer,DDS, Bud Ham, Avrom King, and others (including Carlisle) did the work to develop approaches and systems to implement this new way to help patients learn how to correct destructive lifestyle habits and develop the habits of a wellness lifestyle.
Three other factors are: dentists provide long range care and see most patients yearly, dentistry is not hospital based and usually does not incur the high costs associated with many medical procedures and dentistry does not (except in rare instances) deal with life threatening diseases.
Q. What forces led to the battering of the doctor-patient relationship?
A. 1. The advent of managed care insurance and government controlled health insurance.
2. The increase in medical malpractice law suits.
3. How students are selected.
4. The scientific training that students experience. Norman Cousins stated "A common complaint by patients is that the doctor knows more about their disease, than about the person in which the disease exists."
5. Lack of knowledge in how to build effective, caring doctor-patient relationships.
6. The focus on disease care instead of health care or wellness care.
Q. What can be done to improve the doctor-patient relationship?
A. 1. Change the selection process for doctors. Balance the selection of scientific strengths with caring, humane strengths.
2. Change the training of doctors to a more humane, problem-based curriculum.
3. Pay doctors for the time they spend counseling patients and promoting wellness and healthy lifestyles.
4. Scrap managed care and develop a more humane, effective, efficient health care insurance system.
5. Change the legal system from an adversarial system to a less destructive system.
Q. How can doctors develop effective, caring helping relationships?
A. A recent research project asked a group of health care professionals to rank their effectiveness as communicators. 60% of these professionals ranked themselves in the top 10%. Obviously, the first step for doctors is to recognize that they can improve their effectiveness in helping patients learn how to change destructive lifestyle habits. Doctors need to seek training and resources to learn effective helping skills in and after their training.
The counseling professions have done the research that shows what characteristics lead to developing effective helping relationships. Pioneering research by Carl Rogers, PhD and Arthur Combs, PhD and others led to the work on how to create these relationships.
Relationship-based/health-centered dentistry has applied this work to helping patients change destructive lifestyle habits and become well. In doing so, it has created a new model of health care.
The web site www.spiritofcaring.com helps dentists and physicians understand and implement this way of practicing dentistry.
(If you wish to subscribe: Click Here-use our Secure encrypted on line order form.)
| 
Testimonials
