LETTER: How to reduce the need for care

By: | Inside NoVA
Published: June 24, 2009

I feel compelled to add a few bits to the delightful tongue-in-cheek commentary by Mr. Arnaiz on his heart attack experience and his cardiac rehabilitation. I have been the director of the Prince William
Cardiac Rehab program since its inception 30 years ago, and was a patient there after my own heart attack 11 years ago.

We all feel a bit stupid when we realize what we have done over the years to our bodies. Prevention is the key to health. We have wonderful tools to save lives, with medicines, coronary bypass, stents
and the like. However, these are all expensive and frequently painful and scary.

One of the keys to reducing health care costs is public awareness of the need for preventive care, since our overall state of fitness is well below that of other major Western countries. Mr. Obama’s plan to
increase expenditures is not going to be satisfactory in the long run and may bankrupt the economy. A recent CNBC discussion with former Senator Dr. Bill Frist also highlighted the need for the public
awareness of preventive techniques to improve the level of health without such massive spending, and improving access to primary care medicine.

Cardiovascular — and other — prevention programs are available in the community. In addition to Cardiac Rehab programs at both Prince William and Potomac Hospitals, there are medical fitness
centers at both. Both of the local Chambers of Commerce (of which Mr. Arnaiz is a prominent member) have established health/wellness committees, and the recently established Commonwealth
Preventive Medicine Institute is attempting to aggressively address lifestyle issues to prevent disease.

CHRISTOPHER J. LEET, MD

Prince William Cardiology Associates

Commonwealth Preventive Medicine Institute