How big is this place?
Inside, 40,000 square feet. The facility occupies 4 acres. The entire campus is 90+ acres.
How many people work at The Center?
There are approximately 45 full-time, on-site personnel. In addition, we have part-time, contract, consulting, and volunteer staff who add to our capacity to accomplish so much.
Do medical doctors work here?
Yes, all evaluations and treatments are under the direction of medical doctors. In addition, we have medical research doctors who do not see patient/co-learners.
Do non-medical doctors work here?
Yes, Ph.Ds direct all research and clinical laboratory operations.
Does The Center employ nurses?
Yes. The Center is fortunate to have wonderful, caring nurses whose years of experience show as they care for our patient/co-learners.
Why did you build such strange-looking buildings?
The geodesic domes, conceived by Buckminster Fuller, are very strong, energy efficient, and require no internal support. This allows for a maximum use of space. Although we all are more used to buildings that are rectangular in shape, no right angles are found anywhere in nature. Wind tunnel studies showed that if the facility was being approached by a small tornado, it would lift up over the structures because of their shape.
The pyramid is a compression structure originally designed for research. It is now called the Bob Page Pyramid, a beautiful space used for special
functions.
Why didn't you just build one big building?
Large buildings such as governments build throughout the world are designed in part to make individuals feel less significant in comparison. Here we wanted to maintain the human dimension so that people do not feel overwhelmed.
Why does your driveway curve so much instead of being straight?
Although it would have been cheaper to build a straight road, our goal was to help people slow down and, as our signs say, de-stress to 25.
Why is your large sign across the street?
The city required a time consuming expensive zoning change to place a sign at our entrance. Since we own the land across the street with the right zoning we decided to put an even larger sign there.
Can anybody eat at your restaurant?
Yes, anyone who has a relationship with The Center can eat at the Taste of Health. People who are not staff, volunteers, contributors, or co-learners also can eat at the Taste of Health. They are simply requested to contribute $10 or more per year to The Center.
Can people have meetings at The Center?
Yes. The Center has become a popular place for non-profit organizations to hold meetings, seminars, and retreats. The fees are reasonable and the surroundings tranquil. People often remark they can't believe they are still in the city.
Do you still take new patients/co-learners?
Yes. We will always be able to take new patients/co-learners. This is because we expect most of our co-learners will feel better and better and they will need us less and less. We currently limit ourselves to only 500 new patients/co-learners a year so that we can take sufficient time to be very thorough.
Do I have to be referred by a doctor to come to The Center?
No. Many people are referred by doctors. During our first year of operation we were 86 percent physician referred. Now, many people who are ailing or hurting come to The Center because friends or relatives have had positive experiences here. The main reason given for coming to The Center as a new patient/co-learner is having continuing health problems in spite of standard medical care.
How do I become a patient/co-learner?
You may call, e-mail or write to request information about how to become a patient/co-learner. Call 316- 682-3100 between the hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. central time, e-mail to staff@brightspot.org, or write to The Center, 3100 N. Hillside, Wichita, KS 67219, USA. Information about how to become a patient/co-learner will be sent immediately.
Can students and doctors come here to learn?
Yes. We have programs designed to share our approach and experience in several ways. Options ranging from one week to one year are available. Fees are charged for learning opportunities, except for undergraduate students who are not charged.
Do I have to be sick to benefit from what The Center offers?
No. In fact, we are so committed to preventing the development of diseases usually associated with aging that we designed the Health Hunter/Beat The Odd program. HH/BTO allows an individual to monitor his or her actual bodily levels of antioxidants which are so important in preventing degenerative diseases such as arthritis, cataracts, hardening of the arteries, and cancer. We also offer special consultations to elite athletes who want to maximize their performance.
Can anyone use your library?
Yes. Our Mabee Library is not a lending library but is available to anyone during our regular hours of operation. The library is a unique, comprehensive resource for our patients/co-learners,
Do you think I can afford to come to The Center?
How much is your health worth? Because our goal is to provide some level of service to all those who are interested in improving their health, we offer many different opportunities. Becoming a Health Hunter gives you very useful information and pays you back with discounts enjoyed by Health Hunter members. Literally hundreds of subjects are available on audio and videotapes, which may be purchased or reviewed in the Mabee Library.
Purchases of these tapes are discounted for Health Hunters and provide a great opportunity for learning what may be useful to enhance health. For those who are sick and ailing or hurting, becoming a patient/co-learner requires a larger financial commitment. But often, it is less than what a person has been paying in co-payments for medical treatments which have not produced the desired results.
Can anyone shop at the Gift of Health?
Yes, the store is located inside Dome 1, and our products are also available at our Gift of Health online store. If you join Health Hunters you can take advantage of substantial discounts given to members.
Is the laboratory CLIA certified?
Yes, the Bio-Center Laboratory is CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act) certified by HCFA (Health Care Finance Administration). The Bio-Center Laboratory not only performs tests for Center patient/co-learners but also serves as a reference laboratory for doctors and hospitals throughout the country.
What is alternative medicine?
These days alternative medicine seems to be any approaches or techniques used to improve health which are not currently taught in most medical schools. At The Center, we are specialists in certain alternative approaches. These include, but are not limited to, nutritional medicine, ear and body acupuncture, detecting and removing excessive amounts of heavy metals from the body, detecting adverse food reactions and hidden parasites, therapeutic massage, and techniques of mental medicine which positively impact psychoneuroimmunology. Alternative approaches are gaining more favor in the treatment of sustained illness because they work. The interest in alternative approaches to improving health continues to grow. Now more than 40 percent of the adult U.S. population uses alternative therapies.
What is holistic medicine?
Holistic medicine is an approach rather than a technique. Here at The Center, the holistic approach starts with our meandering road and signs that ask that you de-stress to 25. The approach continues as you enter the Marge Page Dome and see the lettering that says "Some of the Most Wonderful People in the World Pass Thru This Dome." We believe that very strongly. The holistic approach is reflected in our very small waiting room, which is small because we don't expect to keep you waiting. We recognize that your time is as valuable as ours. The holistic approach is evident during your first appointment with the doctor who listens to you and reviews your history and symptoms for an hour. Your life events are carefully reviewed because our goal is to determine what factors came together to cause you to become ill when you did. Then, the holistic approach seeks to find and correct the underlying reasons for your illness by evaluating you biochemically, which includes measuring in the laboratory your nutrient levels, rather than just trying to suppress the symptoms with drugs. Our holistic medicine approach allows you, whenever you are ready, to become a co-learner, true partner who understands that the holistic approach is not a quick fix, but a means for improving health for a period of years.
Do you have overnight facilities here?
Not at the present time. There are many motels within a short distance of The Center.
Do you have to be a Center patient/co-learner to use the Bio-Center Laboratory?
No. Any medical doctor can order tests on their patients/co-learners.
Is it possible to tour this fascinating place?
Yes, it is. We have tours Monday through Friday at 1:30 p.m. There is no charge for the tours. Please call 316-682-3100 if you would like to schedule a tour of The Center.
