The coronavirus pandemic is not all bad. We can learn many lessons from it. One of those lessons is about the American healthcare system.
The scramble to respond to the virus has revealed many weak points.
ZdogMD talks about them in “COVID Reality Check.”
There are always two things at play in the healthcare system:
- WHAT the health problem is (COVID, Crohn’s Disease, cancer, etc.)
- HOW the problem is being dealt with, within the healthcare system (treatment modality, payments, insurance, who your doctor is, etc.)
The current US healthcare system is focused more on #2 than on #1.
Healthcare, as a system, is focused more on money and legal rules than it is on treating health problems. That’s why there’s so much argument about whether certain drugs are “approved” to treat COVID.
It’s easier to fight about the rules than it is to find solutions.
Many health problems are difficult to understand. If a doctor doesn’t understand something, it’s more difficult to treat.
Oftentimes, the best treatment is “stop doing things that harm your health.” This is the best option for the patient (me and you!), but it doesn’t make the healthcare system any money.
Good patient outcomes (that’s medicalese for “you feeling better”) SHOULD be the focus of healthcare, but they are not.
This is why it is important to educate and advocate for yourself. The “system” cares about money and rules—not about whether or not your health gets better.
Doctors can help you, but they are more responsible to the healthcare system (#2) than they are to you (#1).
To heal, you must take responsibility for your health.
You are your own #1.
Don’t just take my word for it, go watch the video!