So yesterday, the House passed the most sweeping overhaul of America’s health care system since the enactment of Medicare in 1965. I am sure you have heard the pundits from both sides of the aisles. With everything you’ve heard, it can be easy to become overwhelmed with the huge amounts of information and disinformation out there. Now I am not here to give you an opinion one way or the other on this legislation (there are things I like about it, and things I really don’t) but regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum, the debate has forced us to consider some uncomfortable issues as a whole- Issues which I as a solo family practitioner, am faced with almost daily. These are topics which warrant attention regardless of your political leanings, and these issues are finally the topic of conversation- and frankly, I am glad to hear the discourse:
-The United States is WAY behind the curve when it comes to preventive care. An unbelievable amount of savings could be found in simply facilitating early screenings and preventive measures for a whole host of disease- from heart disease to Type II diabetes. For the first time ever I am hearing discussion of this issue.
-We are lacking when it comes to prenatal care, and have a caesarian rate far above those recommended by the World Health Organization and virtually every Ob/Gyn governing body in the world. I am hearing many of my Ob/Gyn colleagues talking about the importance of primary care, and preventive screenings to facilitate the reduction in C-section rates and birthing complications.
-I am seeing the discussion of nutrition finally becoming serious. Rather than just saying ‘we should eat healthier’, I am hearing about school districts facilitating healthy eating for kids, fast food restaurants actually giving considerations to the contents of their products- there is even a new reality TV show where a chef is trying to improve the eating habits of an entire town.
-The nations poorest individuals are also the least likely to have insurance and subsequently, routine care. This population is almost never part of the popular discussion on the topic of health care. Now they are.
The American lifestyle seems tailor made for a whole plethora of health problems, and for the first time we, as a culture, seem to be thinking about the factors which contribute to this deleterious lifestyle. Regardless of whether you lean right or left, you would be hard pressed to deem this line of thought as anything other than positive.
Be well, and thanks for stopping in.
-Andy
Display at the Welcome center in the Royal Victoria & Albert, London. All of the pills an individual took over the course of a lifetime.
Well-said, Andy! An ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure!
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