If we are honest about our current state, while we have made great strides in new discoveries and treatments for a great number of conditions, our system has never been more fragile.
The general public is increasingly distrustful of healthcare providers and the “system.” Part of this is directly related to the very poor handling of communication of the COVID pandemic. Other parts affecting this view include the many months-long wait for an appointment that many experience across the USA, the moral injury of not only providers like doctors and mid levels (NP’s and PA’s), but also that of nurses that has led to a shorter temperament and sometimes a less than ideal caring environment. We had a shortage of providers before the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was passed, and after its passing there was an even larger deficit. Then not long afterward, we were met with a worldwide pandemic like we have never seen and lost many providers to both illness and resignation over frustrations of seeing patients die.
Those providers who have stayed the course, or joined in the effort of delivery of care are trying to steady the helm, but there is an ongoing stress related to long lines to be seen, lack of time to talk with patients or provide quality patient education, and patients who aren’t sure whom they can trust in many situations. It is a very scary feeling to be extremely ill and afraid if your provider is taking your symptoms seriously or if it feels they don’t have time for you. I hear this over and over again and have personally experienced this myself, and witnessed it with my own family members across many facilities and providers, and I have over 35 years of experience in healthcare.
While we are tending to patients to heal the sick, we are now tasked with simultaneously healing the system, and this task cannot be taken lightly. It will take some time to rebuild trust, and to equalize the number of providers that are needed for the populations across the country.
Hopefully, with more patient education, we can assist by helping people to help themselves through a better understanding of their various ailments and measures they can take themselves at home before running to the doctor for everything. This will then hopefully free up some of those coveted appointments for those who are in more immediate need and help to lessen some of the extreme stress placed on our healthcare system as a whole.
This health blog is designed with an idea of empowering people with trusted information about healthcare issues so that they may be able to not only better understand the healthcare system and challenges, but also how we can live healthier lives and try to avoid and/or reverse chronic illnesses where possible. Many believe that patients lack any self control or governance in how they live and eat, and this leads to an immediate move to prescribe something for every single issue, but I believe in the power of people to evolve, and learn, and to place more effort on living in a more healthful manner. It will not be easy as many company’s place addictive substances in their products because they want you to buy more, but strengthening willpower to become more independent and focusing on wellness will help in some way for every person, so do what you can to help yourself. This self help to wellness is the ultimate exercise of self love.
Brian holds a Master degree in Health Administration (MHA), a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences (BSHS), and a Certificate in Clinical Bioethics which bestows the ability to serve on ethics boards, help make healthcare decisions, and provide continuing medical education.
He is a national author and speaker and health consultant in all aspects of healthcare delivery, with special interests in risk adjustment, population health, public health, clinical bioethics, patient safety, and patient education.
*All posts and materials posted here are for education and demonstration purposes and are not intended to be medical advice. It is important to remember that every person is unique with unique diagnoses, and may be taking different prescriptions and supplements. I encourage each person to discuss your conditions with a trusted healthcare provider and be engaged to learn along your individual path to wellness.