When we think of going to a medical practice, it’s rare
to picture a strip mall, but Dr. Jim Smith near Cincinnati,
Ohio has a whole new paradigm of what a doctor’s office
can be. Nestled in a row along with Coffee Beans-n-Bags and
Dave’s Quality Meats is Dr. Jim’s Options Supplements
and More. On the marquee, as if they are this week’s
special, Chelation Therapy and Colonics are advertised. Entering
the store, for a store is what it is, the customer is greeted
with a plethora of health products, from massage beds to vitamins,
to skin care to shoes.
Looking closely, however, the unique nature of Dr. Jim’s
Options arises. There is a line of lazyboy armchairs with
IV poles along the back wall. Several exam rooms are included
in the space, as well as a colonics room with a large machine.
The check out clerk wears scrubs. Jim Smith has managed to
merge the concept of going to the doctor with the image of
patient-as-customer presented with options that he or she
has the power to choose for themselves.
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Kathy
Smith, Dr. Jim Smith, Ronnie and
family friend and employee, Gordon.
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Ronnie, one of Jim’s staff members (and also his wife
Kathy’s son) explains that at Dr. Jim’s Options
he tries to present an alternative attitude as well as alternative
medical techniques. It is a welcoming place where patients
are treated as friends. Ronnie tries to encourage laugher
during Chelation sessions; the décor is a series of
colorful posters with positive messages, and a big yellow
smiley face even greets you at the door. Appointment cards
for Dr. Jim are designed to look like movie tickets, as if
you can expect a great show at this doctor’s.
 Everywhere
you look the theme is choices. A wooden rack holds an array
of handouts with the title “Dr. Jim’s Shots for
Health.” Each page gives the patient/customer detailed
information about various IV supplements that are available
there, including Alpha Lipoic Acid, Vitamin B-Complex, B-12,
Methylcobalamin, and Glutathione. Dr. Smith has formulated
his own series of vitamins with the label Dr. Jim’s
Naturally Well. His Foundation Series, which he encourages
all his patients to follow as a basic program consists of
a Multivitamin, B-Complex 50, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, and GoldenZymes
Digestive Enzymes.
Colonics is a popular program at the office. Dr. Jim’s
Options uses an “open system” for this treatment.
Open system colonics take longer, has a much gentler flow,
and is also done without a therapist in the room, which gives
the patient more privacy. Like many colonics programs, Dr.
Jim suggests that a patent do several colonics treatments
in a row at first to loosen up years of blocked toxins in
the bowel.
Though I came to meet with Jim to help plan our coming meeting
in Northern Kentucky (March, 2007), I must admit I came away
from his  office
wearing a brand new pair of snazzy Z-coil shoes. If you haven’t
seen them yet, you’ll definitely have to keep a look
out for these odd, yet wildly comfortable looking shoes on
the cutting edge of health, if not fashion.
As we work for options in health care, it may be that we need
to think of ourselves as consumers with choice rather than
passive receivers of what the doctor orders. Dr. Jim Smith
in West Chester, Ohio is leading the way into a new era of
consumer (and patient) empowerment.
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