INTERVIEWS AND NEWSPAPER BLOGS

Dr. Mark Bartiss welcomes you to the medicine of the new millennium.  Dr. Bartiss is a board certified family physician with extended training, expertise and several certifications in the field of Complementary and Alternative Medicine.  Dr. Bartiss is a leading authority in non surgical approaches to back pain and disc disease.  He has recently been selected as one of the top ten doctors in male and female hormone replacement therapy and is regarded by many physician colleagues as one of the best diagnosticians anywhere.  

His practice- ICAM (Institute for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) promotes health using holistic and natural approaches.   His success in terms of patient satisfaction is excellent despite the fact that the average number of physicians a patient will see prior to consulting him is FIVE.  Because of this, many patients considered him “a last resort”.  Results speak for themselves and word of mouth has always been ICAM’s best referral source. 

Most patients note significant improvement within three to four weeks after beginning his program.  Resolution of symptoms however is not enough Bartiss says, since he seeks to correct the underlying problems or illness rather than masking or treating symptoms alone.  “Approaching illness (and health) in this way, the body will often heals itself”.  “If you give the body something to work with it can do miraculous things” he says.

Another difference between Dr. Bartiss now and then….CAM vs. Allopathic doctor, is in the philosophical approach he takes while making the patient a part of their own healthcare team. “By letting individuals participate in their own treatment plan, they take better notice of what their options are and become a more informed and educated consumer which is key to improved and ongoing positive outcomes”.

Bartiss does not suggest that his patients abandon their PCP, specialists or any of your allied health field practitioners such as chiropractor, massage therapist etc.  He states “What I do, complements therapies that a patient may already be receiving.”  It is this mindset that keeps his mainstream medical colleagues in the comfort zone.  (Most doctors will not admit and/or aknowlege the better results obtained through holistic therapies over their prescribed traditional ones). Still, many practitioners seem “intimidated” by what he has to offer and provides.  “I am not sure if it is because they fear losing a patient to me or if it is that they are uninformed or misinformed about the principles and modalities I practice.”  “Perhaps they believe that I will bring harm not HARMONY to the patient”. 

The bottom line is that his results, patient satisfaction and gratification cannot be denied.  More and more people are becoming educated consumers and are demanding better healthcare that includes options to today’s theme of pharmaceutical and surgical intervention.

Katie Danler

Ocean County, NJ

Student

2009