Doctor teams up with tech-savvy son to launch holistic medical hub
DR ARLENE Rose, a 25-plus-year medical professional and businesswoman, has teamed up with her tech-savvy son, Jason Johnson, to launch the Jamaica Centre of Advanced Medicine (JCAM) – the newest integrative medical centre focused on functional medicine.
Dr Rose’s journey towards a holistic approach to medicine was not easy. It was born out of her personal struggle to find effective treatment for a medical diagnosis she faced. When numerous visits to medical specialists and recommended treatments proved futile, she embarked on a personal quest to explore more holistic and root-cause-oriented treatments to find a long-term solution that worked. She discovered one, not through modern medicine but through holistic practices preserved over the years and practised across cultures. This experience has made her a passionate advocate for a holistic approach to medicine, and her life’s work is now dedicated to helping more people find effective treatment for their prolonged illnesses.
Combined with her son’s passion for IT, and her years of practising functional medicine, Dr Rose decided to officially launch her newest company, JCAM, to place more attention on this growing approach to medicine. JCAM provides patients with the latest in functional medical technology, guides to healthy living, and medical solutions to prolong life and enhance the quality of life of patients. JCAM was established as an evolution of Dr Rose’s previous practice, Derma Kare, and includes an expansion of medical services and equipment.
A secondgeneration doctor, Dr Rose followed in the footsteps of her mother, a general practitioner, whom she credits with her desire to become a doctor herself. In addition to obtaining her medical qualifications from The University of the West Indies and her master’s degree from the University of Wales College of Medicine in Dermatology, she also obtained extensive training in antiageing technology, aesthetic medicine and l aser therapy i n the United States and Europe. She then went on to study holistic nutrition. This training and knowledge helped to form the foundation for JCAM.
“More persons are seeking healthier approaches to traditional medicine with a guarantee of the highest quality of care and results. The first inclination is to try the traditional approach to medicine, and as such, we [JCAM] are usually our patients’ last resort. Most of our patients have tried it all, been to numerous doctors, spent a lot of money, and experienced little or no relief from their medical conditions,” Dr Rose explained.
Johnson, a web developer and digital marketer, directed his mother’s digital transformation project to advance service delivery and patient care, one of the company’s value-added services. “Mom and I wanted to show patients that they don’t have to give up hope; solutions that go beyond the traditional approaches are available. I have seen first-hand that this health approach works, and I was happy when mom asked me to help her bring JCAM to every Jamaican doorstep digitally. It is not just about treating people; it is about improving their lives. Combining technology with mom’s experience was intended to provide more health education and treatment to those who need it - a trend we hope to see grow in Jamaica and the Caribbean,” Jason said.
Health coaching, nutrition planning and individualised programmes are standard offerings for each patient. The centre’s medical services reads like a laundry list of ailments many suffer from in varying degrees; “Our approach is not just to treat the symptoms of a particular condition but also manage root causes. The human body is so beautifully designed by God that he has also given us the natural resources to find solutions to our health problems. We pride ourselves on providing patient-centred solutions that transform and improve the health of our patients through our compassionate approach, innovative solutions, and first-rate client care to assist them in regaining their confidence and vitality,” Rose shared.
Dr Rose explained that this lifestyle-centred approach will lead to more long-term positive outcomes for patients. She said, “I wanted to provide services that not just sent people home with a bunch of pills to take, but instead, I wanted them to think differently about healthcare and realise that how we live our lives is a huge part of our overall mental and physical well-being.
The treatments offered by Dr Rose are not your grandmother’s home remedies – they are designed to be minimally invasive and provide maximum relief and support. Treatments include pain relief using a biofeedback scan and warm sculpting, which involves removing body fat using a combination of nearly infrared light waves filtered through special liquids.
Dr Rose’s love of family and God are her biggest motivators, and she loves making a difference in the lives of others. She is even more thankful that she collaborated with her son to impact the medical industry. The launch of JCAM is a display of professional collaboration and family ties coalescing to deliver superior patient care and community health education. Their story is an inspiration for future generations, illustrating that at the intersection of love and expertise lies the potential for transformative change.