Thursday, December 1, 2016

There is Reason for Excitement in This, Too

   The chance to revamp our health system, now that Donald Trump has been elected and has signaled that changes are coming, is exciting.
    For those arm-chair politicians such as I, it is an opportunity to think of what we would do, if given chance.
    I think on a friend's comment, of how health-care shouldn't be motivated by profit. It will take some thinking, but perhaps some (or all) health-care providers should be paid flat rates. I only know we should be careful with where the profit-motive is placed, as you want your incentives to be placed in such a way that good care is rewarded.
   Other thoughts? We need to reduce negligence and malpractice. Lawsuits and the insurance it takes to be prepared for them, are too high of expenses. One way to reduce them -- perhaps the best way -- is to reduce the number of times doctors make mistakes.
   A couple things that might help? One, have more second opinions. Make them common practice. For things of significance -- those beyond common colds and such -- you never get a diagnosis without getting two. One doctor diagnoses you and makes a recommendation, and then you see another, and he (or she) arrives at his (or her) opinion without even knowing what the first doctor recommended. Two, during surgeries, have an auditing doctor present. He (or she) observes the surgery as it takes place, offering advice and suggestions.
   A third suggestion came from a friend while I was a the gym last night. Have more preventative medicine.
  

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