| Business Partnerships promote
healthy living in KC An interview with Dr. Ryan Shelton by Doug Crandall Dr. Ryan Shelton treats patients at Whole Body Health, a holistic healing center in Prairie Village, Kan. He is a registered Naturopathic Doctor who practices general family medicine from a holistic perspective. He is undertaking an innovative marketing partnership in the Kansas City area called "Kansas City Partners for Healthy Living" (KCPHL). "KCPHL is a group of Kansas City businesses and organizations that support community health and wellness education," Dr. Shelton said. "It offers monthly health workshops at various locations throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area where participants get information about specific health topics and learn integrative strategies for dealing with health concerns. For example, a workshop on May 15 is on Treating Menopause Naturally. This will be a great venue for women to get their questions answers by health professionals who can speak both medically and holistically." The EDGE spoke with Dr. Shelton about this new partnership to learn what it means for residents of the Kansas City metro area. What inspired you to form this group? Dr. Ryan Shelton: I treat patients as part of Whole Body Health, an integrative medical center in Prairie Village. I was brought up in a climate of competition between people, departments, schools, specialties and businesses. In the past, economists have taught that competition will solve our problems. Many have found that competition is actually counterproductive for those with similar visions and goals. I also recognize that healthcare and wellness promotion is in a period of dynamic change. Whole Body Health has been evaluating this change carefully, which of course involves how we work collaboratively with other practitioners, instructors and marketing coordinators in our area. One of the missions of Whole Body Health is to cultivate holistic thinking in the community and to educate the public about their healthcare options. As a naturopathic physician. I am an educator and an expert on integrating allopathic and natural medicines. Collaborating with like-minded businesses and organizations in the community to promote healthcare education through workshops exquisitely fulfills the aforementioned mission of the company. The Kansas City community is becoming more open to an integrative medical model. However, resources leading patients to integrative options do not appear to be readily available. KCPHL was formed to provide information and resources to those who seek it. Is this group open to any medical professional in the Kansas City area? Shelton: We do not discriminate based on profession. However, we also do not offer an open invitation. We choose our partners based on their intentions and level of integrity. We encourage medical professionals who are open to the integration of conventional and holistic medical models, and who believe in empowering patients to take responsibility for their own health. Is it limited to medical professionals or can any business join? Shelton: We consider any person, business or organization that supports our mission. It is definitely not limited to medical professionals. How about alternative modalities and energy workers. Are they encouraged to join as well? Shelton: Certainly. Again, we are looking for like-minded people to join us in educating the public about their healthcare options. Alternative practitioners and energy workers offer unique options to those who are in need of healing. How would becoming a member of KCPHL benefit a business? Shelton: As a KCPHL partner, a business would be promoted in all workshop materials and in the promotional materials for KCPHL. Partners also have the option to host some of the workshops (if space provides), which is excellent exposure. In addition, partners may lecture or demonstrate at the workshops. They may also contribute educational material in the participant workbooks. We provide them a link from our website, and involve them in our "Wellness Card" program. The Wellness Card is given to each workshop participant, and it allows them a promotional discount at our partners' places of business. Partners benefit from the networking that occurs as a result of being part of a group of like-minded individuals. And, most importantly, partners of KCPHL have the opportunity to make a difference. Margaret Mead said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed people can change the world: Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has!" How will KCPHL benefit the public in general? Shelton: KCPHL will serve as an educational resource for all individuals who seek answers to their healthcare questions, a point of contact for all healers and medical professionals who have an interest in integrating the science and art of healthcare, and a catalyst for the further progression of holistic thought in regards to how the public addresses healthcare issues. We will ultimately help bring Kansas City up to speed in terms of an integrative model of medicine. In this day and age of Enron-type scandals and pharmaceutical companies having such an unsavory impact on society (in many people's view), many businesses are coming under a great deal of public scrutiny. In your view, what holistic principles are necessary to ensure that a business or group such as KCPHL operates in a manner that includes higher standards of integrity and accountability to the paying public? Shelton: As discussed above, KCPHL believes that competition is counterproductive. As a holistic thinker, I very much see the community as a type of organism, just as we ourselves are a collaboration of smaller units working together. Thus, those healing principles which I see as effective for human beings will be extended to the larger community. The principles are: do no harm, treat the cause, promote wellness, stimulate nature and not suppress, doctor as teacher, prevention first, and treat the whole organism. Furthermore, I believe that businesses are ultimately in competition with themselves. If the business is providing a valuable service, at a fair price and keeps the client happy, then they don't need to be so concerned with their competitor down the street. We are in business because of our clients. If that means occasionally referring a client to a competitor because they can offer something that we can't, then we've done our job. This is the holistic business model. Of course, like holistic healthcare, it may take some time to catch on. Will KCPHL be held to any holistic principles and higher standards? Shelton: The founders of KCPHL, as well as their partners, are people of high integrity who operate their businesses with high standards. As a result, KCPHL will be operated much the same. Most importantly, we will hold to our mission of educating the public. Some educational workshops turn out to be merely a front for the promotion of a service or product. We refuse to become a "paid advertisement." Instead, we will provide the best resources and educational materials possible, while keeping the cost of the workshops reasonable. Do you have a long-term vision of the impact and role KCPHL may have on the Kansas City area? If so, can you share that vision with our readers? Shelton: Our hope is that KCPHL will become a uniting force for those people and businesses that want to foster the advancement of holistic thinking and integrative healthcare in the Kansas City area. With KCPHL as the vanguard, we hope that an open forum is created for medical professionals to exchange ideas and that the people of Kansas City gain the advantages of such a forum. Ultimately, the goal is achieving healthier individuals within a healthier community. Dr. Shelton, you also hope to host an hour-long weekly radio show on 980 KMBZ AM. What will be the focus of this radio show? Shelton: This will be a one-hour, integrative medicine talk show presenting conventional medical, as well as naturopathic viewpoints on a variety of healthcare topics. The show will be hosted by me and will feature guests who are experts on the topics presented. There will be opportunities for the listeners to call in with their health questions. For businesses interested in joining KCPHL, or individuals who would like more information about the workshop series, contact Annie or Dr. Ryan Shelton at Whole Body Health, (913) 642-8881 or visit www.wholebodyhealth.com Doug Crandall is manager of the Heartland edition of The EDGE. Contact him for special advertising offers this summer in The EDGE at toll-free 1 (877) 776-5244 or e-mail doug@edgenews.com Copyright © 2004 Doug Crandall |
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May 2004 |
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