Ever since the early days of human society, there have been herbalists. These people have used their knowledge of the plants that grew around them to maintain and restore the health of the people that they lived with. Over the thousands of years between then and now, we have honed and developed the art of herbalism, learning more and more about how herbs work and which herbs are safe and effective for which people.

Today, most of the world's people-- including many of the people who read this-- still use herbal medicine as a primary form of healthcare. For some people, this is because it is the safest or most effective form of healthcare. For many people, it is because it is the most accessible form of healthcare. The World Health Organization supports the practice and development of herbal medicine for this reason.

In my own practice, living as I do in a cash economy, I have certain rates that I charge for office visits, procedures, and herbal medicines. However, this is flexible. If someone needs to barter for their artwork or the food they grow or some other commodity, that can be an acceptable form of payment. If someone is unable to pay at the time of service (and I mean genuinely unable, such as because they lost their income due to illness, not because they're saving up for their trip to hawaii) then it's possible to defer payment. If someone is unlikely to ever be able to repay me, I will still treat them and offer them the same quality of care as anyone else.

The true cost of herbal medicine-- that is, the total cost to society-- is much less than that of conventional medicine. This is largely due to the fact that the treatments i use develop and manufacture themselves, with little or no input from humans. Even in the event of a prolonged and very severe eceonomic downturn, or extremes of civil unrest, it is possible for herbalists to continue plying their trade in some form. This model of care is not entirely dependent on a cash economy, because it predates the existence of money. 

In addition to accessible clinical services, herbalists (including myself) generally work to educate their patients and members of their community about health, with a view towards maintaining health. My clinic has recently begun a series of free classes to aid this effort, most recently a class on natural treatments for pain. Next month there will be one about nutrition.