The World Health Organization reports that the United States has the 37th best health care system in the world. America’s health care system is fraught with problems and its patient satisfaction is rated among the worst in the world. Even though the America’s health care system is envied by the world, it ranks at the bottom of many health care indicators. In the developed world, the United States is at the bottom of the list for infant mortality and life expectancy.
Health care is not the same as it was fifty years ago. Many things have improved over the last fifty years, but the personal touch of medicine has been lost in the process. Medical science has made tremendous advances in the treatment of heart disease, cancer, infectious disease and diabetes just to name a few – but these advances have come at a cost.
Health care is expensive. Not only in dollars and cents, but also in time. A patient can call for an appointment, be told they can be squeezed into the doctor’s busy schedule tomorrow at 3 PM, and then not be seen until 5 PM the next day.
This problem is likely to get worse as time passes as fewer and fewer doctors are choosing to go into primary care medicine specialties such as pediatrics, family practice, geriatrics and internal medicine. Instead doctors are opting for more lucrative specialties – and why not when many specialties pay over twice the annual salary of a primary care provider.
The use of mid-level providers, such as the nurse practitioner or the physician assistant, will help ease the shortage. None-the-less it is critical that patients learn to take care of themselves and know when they should go to the doctor and when a trial over the counter medications or other measures can be helpful.
Health care in America is the most expensive in the world. In 2006, the United States spent ,421 in per capita health expenditures, which is over 50 percent more than any other country. Contributing to high health care cost in the United States are cost of medications, top rate medical technologies, the extensive use of diagnostic tests, salaries of doctors and hospital administrators.
The use of the emergency room as a primary care service not only results in poor health care but it is a costly form of care. Emergency room physicians do not know the patients and are more prone to ordering expensive tests and treatments.
The health care system is overburdened, fragmented and as a whole not concerned about your health as much as you are. Each patient must assume responsibility for his or her own health.
Running to the doctor, urgent clinic or emergency room is not necessarily the best option for every situation. Health care providers often do things to appease the patient instead of doing the right thing.
Doctor appointments, in the eyes of many patients, are sub-par. Health care visits are typically about 15 minutes. The health care provider has a lot of work to do in that short visit. The health care provider needs to review the chart, talk to the patient, examine the patient, write in the chart, answer questions, fill out forms and dispense prescriptions. Time limits placed on office visits do not allow the health care provider to spend adequate time with the patient.
Health care consumers need to maximize this short time with the doctor. This includes being knowledgeable, organized and knowing how to communicate with the health care system. Some doctor’s practice under the assumption that doctor knows best and do not feel it is necessary to share all information with their patients.
Health care consumers are ultimately responsible for their health and need to act accordingly. The health care system is in need of many changes and people need to realize that they need to take responsibility for their health. If you do not take an active role in your health care you will waste a lot of time, money and quality of life.
Get educated about how to improve the quality of your care. With improved knowledge you will be better able to care for yourself.
As a health care consumer you need to:
Understand the health care system Understand doctor visits Improve the quality of your health care visit Improve the quality of your health
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