(First draft only - read with extra caution. Version 04-24-00- www.PatientsNCI.org)

PATIENT PROTOCOL STEP 1

HOSPITALS, HMO'S AND INSURANCE

If conventional cancer care is required, look for the federally funded cancer centers around the nation. Their results are often much better than regular hospitals for difficult conventional therapy.

Be aware that many American hospitals have been changed into profit-driven, share-holder corporations, and are now in the midst of a semi-secret epidemic of bacterial infections. Hospital antibiotics are becoming ever less useful as the germs develop resistance. Most of these infections seem to come from strep and staph-type germs.

The herb Goldenseal combats these germs very effectively in several ways. Some patients prefer to take Goldenseal as a prophylactic, starting a day or two before entering the hospital. It is so powerful that it can also kill the good germs in the colon if it is continued too long, so it's use is usually limited to one or two weeks maximum. Probiotics may help to restore the good germs afterward. Be sure to coordinate with your doctor - these are powerful tools.

Patients who decide to use alternative therapy often find that a week or more in an alternative hospital is an essential educational as well as therapeutic experience. It avoids mistakes and shows how to manage a complex program. If the patient seeks an alternative hospital or clinic, the choices in America are limited, and the choices internationally vary dramatically in effectiveness. One of the easiest ways to check them out is through books like the two listed at the end of STEP 1.

Often there is no single facility that offers all the treatments the patients needs. The PATIENTS' PROTOCOL can be used as a check list to see what's missing. Sometimes patients travel to one clinic for certain treatments, and then on to another for different treatments. Often, patients supplement what they receive in a chosen clinic with additional treatments or doctors. This requires advanced coordination and open communications among all parties involved.

When making the final selection ask especially about the length of their track record and their results. A few alternative doctors are crackpots. Maybe they really believe in their theories, but if it sounds too easy to be true, it probably is. We found it didn't take a magic machine or a magic bullet to cure cancer, it took a lot of work. You can use the PATIENTS' PROTOCOL list of steps to see what they may be leaving out.

One of the most widely-published alternative authors in America runs a clinic in Tijuana that is held in contempt by the legitimate alternative hospitals there. They have a very efficient, well-staffed mail-order operation, with file cabinets loaded with records of customers who order the remedies advertised in their books. But when we asked about recovered cancer patients, they said they didn't keep files on that. Neither the author or the clinic manager could remember a single case of a recovered patient during our visit.

We gave our phone number to the many patients there and asked them to let us know how they did. We received a call from one patient who was successfully cured of worms. Sadly, we never heard from any of the cancer patients again.

So always ask how many patients like you they have cured. Look for testimonials and ask to talk with recovered patients. If they can't find any recovered patients, or have only a lucky few, you may want to look somewhere else.

Also check the section below on insurance before you decide.

Many, but not all, insurance companies and legitimate HMO's will pay for standard tests and standard medical costs, especially if they are performed in a licensed hospital. So factor this into selecting an alternative cancer hospital.

In trying to get certain tests and treatments covered by an HMO, a well-reasoned, non-inflammatory letter that goes in their file can carry a lot of weight. Show why certain conditions warrant what you are seeking. If that doesn't work, make doubly sure you are justified, and consider having an attorney write a more forceful letter.

Few insurance companies pay for the alternative therapies. Many of us just bit the bullet and put it on our charge cards. Then we worried about paying it off once we were well. Make sure ahead of time whether credit cards will be accepted. Some of us had to borrow cash, even mortgage the house.

So shop carefully. The books on the RESOURCES page may be available at libraries, but if you have to buy them, they are a very good investment in your recovery. Use the PATIENTS' PROTOCOL as a checklist to see how much therapy you are getting for your money. This is no time to waste money on useless or incomplete treatment, but it is also counter-productive to be worrying too much about how you are going to pay it off.

If you have comments and suggestions on hospitals and HMO's, etc., please email them to us at Webmaster@PatientsNCI.org

PATIENTS NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE