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 So
you want to find an NFP doctor?
Here’s how
to pave the way for an NFP-supportive practice in
your community.
-Kathleen M. Basi, |
1. Recruit teachers and promote NFP. The more people
who use NFP, the more likely that some of our students will
be doctors. And the larger the patient base, the easier it
is for a doctor to choose not to prescribe birth control.
2. Network with users of other NFP methods to create
a presence in the local community.
3. Evangelize your doctors. “If women and couples can
be more courageous about saying, ‘We use NFP,’ there may be
a doctor who is on the verge of conversion,” Dr. Kathleen
Kobbermann, MD, said. “They can be a voice of hope and plant
a seed.”
• Sponsor an open-minded doctor to attend CCL’s
physicians’ seminar. Since 2002, more than a 100 doctors
have learned not only the method, but how to establish an
NFP supportive practice. “We know of a couple cases where
the seminar did encourage people to get off the fence,” said
Rich Braun, CCL’s seminar coordinator.
• Hit them in the pocketbook. Emphasize how many
patients they could gain by supporting NFP. “When I stopped
prescribing, I suddenly realized how many patients I had who
didn’t (use birth control),” Kobbermann said. “The support
that they gave me was phenomenal. People specifically
switched to me because I wasn’t prescribing anymore.”
4. Encourage your bishop. Bishops can make NFP a
priority at a diocesan level. Also, “There are thousands of
Catholic docs out there,” said Vince Sacksteder of One More
Soul. “We think that direct contact with their bishop would
turn most of them around.”
5. Pray.
6. Take political action. Although the period for
public comment on conscience protection is now closed,
future opportunities are likely to surface. As Dr. Brian
Gosser said, “It takes good people doing nothing to result
in problems.” http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml
offers links to contact federal and state elected officials.
Furthermore, there are many physicians who are supportive of
NFP, but who also prescribe hormones as a method of birth
control. Often, such physicians can read an NFP chart and
provide sound counsel to women. If you cannot find an NFP-only
physician in your area, seek one who fits this description.
There are many instances in which these physicians
eventually discontinued prescribing or recommending birth
control, sterilization or abortion after seeing many
patients who understand their fertility signs and apply NFP.
Prayer and subtle encouragement are common actions
that can lead to conversion.
(Taken from Family Foundations, Sept/Oct 2009, p. 10)
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