2022 State of the IMW
My address to my practice
Welcome to the 2022 State of the Institute for Medical Wellness address.
I apologize for interrupting your regularly scheduled reading for this address but hopefully it will be worthwhile and thought provoking.
(Below is an actual transcript from the State of the IMW 2022 Message that was pre-recorded earlier)
((Dr. Steven Horvitz approaches the podium))
Thank you all for being here. ((Polite applause))
Welcome to 2022 and Good riddance to 2021. ((More applause as the cameras pan out to those in attendance))
I’d like to start by thinking back to when I founded the Institute for Medical Wellness (IMW) way back in 2008. I didn’t have much hair then either but it was a bit darker on the sides…. ((Chuckles from the audience))
While that was only 14 years ago healthcare and the world has changed greatly since then. Some of the change has been good, others not so much. I remember before transitioning to a Direct Primary Care (DPC) practice some of the major concerns of mine were the growing influence government and healthcare industries like Big Pharma, Health insurers and Hospital systems were developing and then using for their own profits and power but not necessarily for the improvement of your own unique personalized healthcare needs. Please take a moment to think about how much influence these players have had in the COVID plandemic. Is your healthcare better today than it was in 2019 or even back in 2008?
Back in 2008 I founded the IMW so that I could better provide individualized relationship based primary care to those who sought my help. Being that the IMW was the first Direct Primary Care (DPC) practice in New Jersey, there was definitely a learning curve for both myself and my community to understand what was needed to improve healthcare. The IMW was the first DPC practice in New Jersey and no doubt we took our lumps early.
Many of my friends, family and colleagues thought I was making a mistake and that DPC would not be embraced. But year by year the lumps faded, and the IMW membership grew larger and stronger as a result. ((Applause)) - The more we grew the more we adapted and evolved to become more of what is needed to transform healthcare into a system that works for you, instead of the other way around. Those same friends, family and colleagues who originally thought I was making a big mistake now began asking real questions about how DPC actually works. Eyes and minds were being opened. We need to continue opening the eyes, ears and minds of others. ((Applause))
There are now many DPC practices not only in New Jersey but throughout the country with more being planned every day. I am very happy that more physicians are returning to their roots of putting patients first and I am happy to have helped many of them in their initial stages. ((Applause))
“Build it and they will come” I believe was from a movie I never saw. But it sure sounds like building a DPC practice where the focus is on you, the patient, is better and more rewarding to each individual then the government-health insurer-hospital and corporate influenced third party power and profit hoarders. ((Oops- that sounded quite harsh))
DPC allows me to spend more time getting to know each and every member of the Institute for Medical Wellness. While an average patient visit in a traditional third party insurance based practice lasts about 8-10 minutes, at the IMW our visits last between 20-60 minutes. This allows for more time for not only me getting to know you, but you getting to know me. Well I guess that could be considered a double edged sword. ((laughter and chuckles))
But more time together gives us more information.
More information hopefully allows us to figure out the health issues you are dealing with so we can work on improving those issues. ((applause))
It really is that simple. The more we talk, the more you can tell me what is going on. Often times you tell me your diagnosis without even knowing it. Then we can formulate treatment options together. It's a great system but does not work without your support and confidence.
I want to thank you for all of your support and confidence these past 14 years! ((Applause))
The IMW has grown substantially in 2021. Thankfully not as fast as the Moronic COVID variant. Too fast a growth can cause issues and my job is to fix and prevent issues. Let me take this moment to thank every new as well as established patient member of the Institute for Medical Wellness. It is due to all of you that I enjoy my job. I speak to many doctors who are employees of corporations or hospitals. While they like being a doctor they rarely tell me they enjoy their job. But if anyone asks me I tell them the same thing I have told others for many many years.
"I enjoy going to work every day. How many doctors can say that today?" ((Applause))
Let us now talk about the elephant in the room, that being COVID.
COVID has changed not only the healthcare system but also much of the way the world works, and I would not say for the better.
Too many lives were lost.
There were too many hospitalizations.
There were too many jobs lost.
Schools were closed.
COVID vaccines were introduced and then mandated to many in the population.
The world, our country, our communities, even our friends and families became polarized.
This polarization should have never occurred then and it should never occur again in the future. ((Standing Applause))
Healthcare should never be part of politics! ((Applause))
A debate should be held across the world that is open and transparent.
The main question that should be debated is:
"What was worse. COVID or the government response to COVID?"
How did the IMW handle COVID?
At first before we knew much about COVID, we hunkered down and went virtual. Due to excellent pre-planning the IMW was able to use multiple means of Virtual visits using either Zoom, Elation or our Spruce messaging app. If a video visit was not a desired option we handled many issues via Spruce apps secure instant messaging. We also handled many issues the old fashioned way, with an actual telephone call. Imagine that! ((Chuckles and polite applause))
While we were not at first able to have in office visits our pre-planning and ability to immediately switch to virtual visits made the switchover seamless. As the initial wave of the COVID pandemic subsided the IMW opened again for in office visits. But as many members enjoyed the flexibility of virtual visits we ended up with a hybrid office. Presently we remain a hybrid office of both in-office and virtual visits. Our hope is that the COVID pandemic will soon end and we can move back to what normal used to be pre-COVID, but my belief is that virtual visits in some capacity are here to stay.
At the IMW we worked closely with all of our members once we found out they had contracted COVID. Daily communications, early treatment options, and sometimes just moral support helped many to get through COVID. While we had our share of patients need hospitalization, especially with the earlier more aggressive strains of COVID, I am happy to say we have not lost anyone to COVID. It is my deepest prayer that this continues to be the case. Stress can mess with your immune system. I believe that due to early treatments and a great trusting relationship we have with everyone that this acted as a stress reducer to improve your immune systems battle against COVID . ((Applause))
Now that the Moronic wave of COVID appears to be peaking and hopefully soon begins its sharp and steep descent, it is time for the IMW to return to its roots. It is time for the IMW to dig down again and work towards what we do best, preventing health issues and slowing the aging process. Beginning this week we are having a Diet Challenge. The goal is to begin or continue a Lower Carbohydrate diet with a community of others to improve your health. More information can be found here.
I hope you will join me and others in this healthy challenge where you will learn a whole bunch about healthy lower carbohydrate nutrition. My personal challenge will be Carnivore-ish. After all, it is:
But your dietary challenge can be any type of lower carbohydrate plan. At the IMW we want to help you find out what works for you, not others. But the challenge is for everyone to learn from others experiences.
2021 also increased my newsletters/blogs/posts/substacks or whatever you want to call them. I don't know what got into me with all this writing, but the response has been very favorable. We are developing a nice following on this substack blog with more people joining and commenting. This was actually one of the reasons I moved my blogging from IContact email newsletter service to Substack. I truly want to develop a community of people interested in their health and wellness who can contribute to others as well with their comments and opinions. What I have found out so far is that we have a large range of opinions yet everyone is getting along very civilly and agree to disagree when needed. This is so refreshing compared to what we see occurring in politics and the mainstream and social media circles.
I have said this before and I will say it again and again.
" We all have our biases. But at the IMW the biases are left behind. Everyone is treated with respect. No one is treated different based on their medical or political views, religion, etc, etc. Health issues do not care about the color of your skin, your gender, your religion or your politics."
I learn so much every day from all of you! ((applause))
So I think I wrote enough for now.
I will end today (((Interrupted for largest applause so far))) by letting you know that the IMW will continue to keep our mission focused on each and every one of you as an individual. Our lines of communication whether in office, video, phone calls or secure texts are always available.
There are many options to be a part of the IMW Health and Wellness Community.
If you are not yet a member of the IMW and utilizing the IMW WOW program, there is no better time than now.
W - Working
O - On
W - Wellness
You can also find me on:
Twitter @IMWHorvitz where my sarcasm is usually left unchecked.
Instagram @IMWHorvitz where you will find many of my homemade lower carbohydrate meals
Website at www.drhorvitz.com
Telegram @IMWHorvitz https://t.me/joinchat/6BS9SG_tb-c2Y2M5 - for discussions of other topics that can affect health and wellness
Here are a few media pieces and podcasts I have been recently featured on.
Listen to DrH on LowCarbMD Podcast
Watch Dr. Horvitz discuss Wellness Lab interpretations on the Fat Emperor podcast
Listen to DrH on Lifes Best Medicine Podcast
Dr. Horvitz on Simply Snackin Blog
Let's work on putting 2021 in the rear view mirror and make 2022 a great rebound year of health, prosperity and a return to normalcy.
“When it comes to your health and wellness, don’t look in the rear view mirror. You are not going that way”
Join us at the IMW.
Thank you for being a subscriber to my Common Sense Health and Wellness newsletter. Thank you for being or soon to be a member of the IMW. I hope you enjoy our approach to helping you achieve optimal health!
Dr. Steven Horvitz and the Institute for Medical Wellness ((Applause and Standing Ovation))
((Dr. Horvitz leaves to to the tune of We didn’t start the fire - by Billy Joel))
Applause coming from my side of the world. It’s refreshing to know a truly fine physician!
Thanks for being faithful in helping each of us individually. We appreciate you! It’s hard to believe we’ve been in the IMW for so many years now. Time is flying!