Trust is What Makes Health Care Work – A Success Story From Belgium
Steven Shie writing at Thoughts from Broad Street captures in couple of simple clear sentences what the problem is in our healthcare system and the solution. He share with reads a lecture by Dr. Florence Hut physician in chief at Brugmann University Hospital.
If the Belgian health care system is any indication, the answer to fixing the U.S. health care system may not be tactics but a new perception of health care that is built upon mutual trust and humanity. Because when trust and humanity are gone, we see serious issues that negatively affect everyone in the system: defensive medicine, low efficiency, poor outcome, alarming safety records and most of all, the indifference for those who rely on safety net for care in a country where so many strongly believe “personal responsibility” and free market are panaceas.
Last night during the #hcsm chat one Topic 1 was –
HC needs changing, and so do HC orgs. If you could lead any HC org, which would you lead; what would you change and why?
The answers were far ranging and smart if not heart felt.
- would lead a private office doing DPC (direct pt care) & take care of patients the way SoMe has taught me over the last 2 yrs
- I would lead the NCI, and start by enlisting patient panels across each aspect of the agency’s work
- Start with the simpler stuff like making clinical trials understood by lay people…no more clinical lingo
- If I expand to anything, I would agree either NCI, or an Insurer. To drive change today, start w reimbursement & rest will follow
Dr. Hut is right as rain. No tactic will make a difference. It is about trust, mutual trust and respect for the humanity of healthcare. Those Belgian patients trust their HCP and they company (the goverment) with managing their healthcare. With those Americans attacking healthcar, behaving healthcare is a privilege not a right, and throwing shade at every juncture and mention it is no wonder we as a people are confused and distrustful of our system and there are no amount of chats, social media, patient engagement that can overcome the basic flaw: we don’t trust the system, our HCP, what we read, hear, see, etc. The small point of light that may help create trust are the millions of Americans who are seeking knowledge about their health and the DIYhealth movement may make a difference at the individual level. But it must be a mutilfaceted exercise of HCP, patient, provider, etc etc.
Shie’s piece is short, smart, and full of good data we can all use. Worth the read.
Social Media in Medicine: Interview at Medicine X
Bertalan Mesko is interviewed at Stanbford Medicine X 2013. It is a short 5 minute interview but filled with understanding of what the needs of this new healthcare world we are entering.
Mesko is so correct when he says “I believe it’s about medical communications not social media.” We can’t forget that adults learn when they seek solutions to problems and when those answers are clear, concise, and fit with the learners needs (i.e. communicates clearly).
When Talking About the Exchanges, It’s Probally a Good Idea to Look Beyond Opening Week Returns
David Dranove & Craig Garthwaite writing on The Health Care Blog gives us all some good advice, stop, take a deep breath, and step away from the Exchanges opening week returns. As we all know but just to repeat like any other web site hits must become registrations and we can’t end up having the 20% sickest Americans representing 80% of the enrollees.