Not necessarily. Helping patients make informed decisions about where it might be avoided is part of good medicine. But what it really requires from both patient and the doctor is TIME. And while many drugs are in short supply right now, time is even more precious resource. These are the conversations that get lost in a doctor-shortage where the doctor-patient interactions is under pressure and reduced to 10 minutes

 This week, I also prescribed patients to:

 – Go back to their reformer pilates class

– Go out to watch a match down at the pub with friends they haven’t seen in months

– get a local library card and add reading to their evening routine

– try meditation

– stop calorie counting and food journaling

– Eat breakfast

– cut back on unnecessary supplements and vitamins

– Take their dog for a walk

– Mention the challenges/stress that teen’s homework is causing in the home at upcoming parent-teacher meeting

– Use “exercise snacks” (10 minute movement breaks) throughout the day

– Ban screens from the bedroom

On balance, though, I also prescribed some pills as well, where indicated, because I’m a doctor and I practice evidence-based medicine.

Now, all this sound a little unorthodox since it is taken out of context (for reasons of patient privacy) but lowering blood pressure, getting better sleep, reducing stress can sometimes – not always – be managed without just adding more pills (or supplements!!) Or at least it is sometimes safe and worthwhile to try. But if, as docs, don’t have the time to find out that the patient likes pilates or has a new dog or has been feeling disconnected or started taking the work laptop to bed due to a new job or is losing their mind over a teen’s nightly homework…. even pills won’t really help.