Former GP Smulders wants more care for healthcare – Advertising Den Bosch | De Bossche Omroep

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DEN BOSCH | When the corona crisis came, it made former GP Michael Smulders think. He concluded that health care was not the solution to the crisis, but the victim. He wrote down his thoughts and that eventually led to the book ‘Bodemloos – zorg voor de zorg’.

by Lisette Broess-Croonen

Smulders came to Den Bosch in 1982 after completing his medical training to start a general practice. “I transferred the practice in 2016 and after that I made observations and worked shifts at the GP post for a while. When the corona crisis started, I had just come from America and was on weekend duty at the GP post. I had to wear a special suit to help any corona patients. That made a great impression on me and this is where the seeds were sown for writing a book about healthcare. It was also the time to quit as a general practitioner completely. My style of working requires direct contact with my patients. I cannot do that over the telephone or video calling.”

As a retiree, Smulders started thinking more and more about the crisis and healthcare. “Our system turned out not to be efficient enough to solve the corona problem. The measures also led to more crises in other areas. For example, there was much more loneliness and there were learning disadvantages and a division in society. As a general practitioner, I have always worked a lot with complementary medicine; the idea that there are other treatments that support conventional medicine. I think you have to start with the basics and that is before people get sick. Most corona patients in intensive care were overweight men with diabetes or high blood pressure. There lies a task for preventive healthcare. You really have to start with the basics to be able to withstand new crises. And the bigger the crisis, the broader you have to look. You cannot ignore complementary medicine. In my book I describe my vision on healthcare and how we can do better. Also how people should work on themselves to stay as healthy as possible. Prevention is the best way to prevent healthcare from becoming a bottomless pit.”

While writing, Smulders’ last family member died and he decided to delve into his family history. “I discovered that the apple doesn’t fall that far from the tree. It turned out that my great-grandfather was also a general practitioner, in Rosmalen. I didn’t know that at all. I am from Hengelo myself and ended up in Den Bosch by chance. The other family line that descends from my great-grandfather turned out to have several people who work or were in healthcare and have also written books about it. That was so fun to discover. That’s how I discovered my second cousin Beatrijs Smulders, who is about the same age as me. She has written several books as a midwife. Her grandfather introduced periodic abstinence in marriage in Brabant with a book. That was a breakthrough in thinking at the time. And his sister wrote the Smuldertje, a rehearsal booklet for nurses. My own father and grandfather were in business and had nothing to do with medicine, but it still runs in the family.”

In the meantime, the writing leaves me wanting more. “I’m itching to write another book. For example, I am thinking of a practical manual for using complementary medicine in general practices for chronic patients in a sensible way.”

The book ‘Bodemloos – Zorg voor de Zorg’ can be purchased for 29.50 euros at various bookstores in Den Bosch and the surrounding area and via the website www.michael-smulders.nl