The Amish are a closed-off group of ethnoreligious Christians who are best known for their refusal of modern technology.
As a result, it's little wonder why so many people want to know: Do the Amish use doctors?
In this blog, we'll answer that question and take a deeper look at some of the reasons why so many people may ask it.
Can the Amish Go to the Doctor?
In short, yes, the Amish can go to a doctor.
Doctors throughout Lancaster, PA and other Amish-rich areas can treat and advise Amish just as they would any other patient.
The Amish don't use insurance — they pay into a common pot of cash for their church so members can use it to get medical aid — but that does not prohibit their ability to see a doctor.
The same is true of other Amish beliefs. Regardless of their need, the Amish are able to seek treatment and preventive care whenever they need it.
In addition, some medical practitioners may choose to make a career of serving the Amish exclusively. This can happen with in-home care professionals who need to understand Amish beliefs, it can happen with nurses who provide recurring care to the differently-abled, and it can happen with midwives who want to run a practice independent of major medical providers.
(Just to name a few examples.)
At times, the relationships made between these medical professionals and the Amish can extend much further than simple professional courtesy as well.
It's surprisingly common for an Amish family to invite a medical provider to a wedding or holiday feast, like Second Christmas.
They may also bond as mentors and authority figures as well, particularly when children are involved.
These medical providers are often not the wealthiest doctors, nurses, or technicians in their field.
Instead, they help Amish families in particular because they often feel they're fulfilling a need that could otherwise go empty.
This is a sentiment that could be all too true as well. With the Amish living in rural areas with varying degrees of accessibility, it's all too possible that a single nurse or doctor could make all the difference to an Amish person's life.
With all of that in mind, let's take a look at a related question: Why do so many people ask whether the Amish can go to the doctor?
Why Do So Many People Ask if the Amish Can Go to the Doctor?
The biggest reason that people usually ask this question is because of the famous Amish rejection of modern conveniences, including scientific advancements.
However, medical technology — even though it is indeed technology — is an exception in most Amish beliefs systems. The same is true for vaccinations.
This is why you may see elderly Amish riding on scooters or using other methods of assisted transportation.
It may also be why you see an Amish person with a prosthetic replacement limb.
Regardless, this may strike someone as odd since the Amish reject modern conveniences. But it's also important to note that the Amish are human, after all, and even their beliefs can accommodate the need to feel independent, strong, happy, and alive.
As a result, many of these medical devices also come with peripheral products that may otherwise not be permitted by an Amish community, including solar panels and charging stations for battery-powered medical devices.
This is also true if an Amish person needs in-home care for whatever reason. Rules may be stretched and exceptions may be made in order to allow an Amish person to live out his or her final days in the comfort and happiness of their families and homes, instead of a hospital.
This all goes back to a simple point that we already mentioned: The Amish are human, and sometimes people bend their beliefs and make exceptions to their strictures so that they can live their lives.
That, in a very roundabout way, is why the Amish can visit doctors and use medical technology.
Want to Learn More about the Amish?
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