We hope this introduction to the way health care works in the U.S. and at Cornell will help you feel comfortable accessing care when you need it and making health care choices that are right for you.
General Philosophy of Western Medicine
Western medicine takes primarily an analytical approach toward identifying the biomedical cause of health problems. By using the objective results of medical tests (laboratory and/or x-ray) and your description of the symptoms experienced, the health care provider works to identify the specific biomedical cause of your health problem. Once a diagnosis is made (often through a process of ruling out other causes), a treatment is prescribed to address the problem area.
Prevention first
Since there are many ways to reduce the incidence of some health problems from occurring, western medicine and culture also place a good deal of emphasis on preventive care and taking certain precautions to protect your health through exercise, diet, healthy sleep practices, routine screening for certain illnesses or conditions, personal hygiene, immunizations, public sanitation, and other health promotion practices.
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Source: Cornell University (www.gannett.cornell.edu)
