Dear Readers,
Let us talk of the popular sport called "Doctor Bashing".
It is rife in the media, amongst patients, health practitioners (alternative and allied) and, let's not forget, lawyers. Doctors have been vilified as ignorant and blind to economic realities. We have been labelled as expendable and replaceable with algorithms.
Even better, are blithe remarks like this one by Alex Green, wealth author and weight loss columnist:
It's easy to vilify doctors. Like teachers, we are seen to be keepers (sometimes, accused as withholders) of knowledge, softies for a good cause, confusingly committing years of study and accepting decidedly less pay than what we could have earned privately or in other sectors, all "for the benefit of mankind". We make choices voluntarily to help others. Like teachers, we have responsibilities to current and future generations. And like teachers, we have somehow become the cellar-dwellers of society and yet, we are one of its most important building blocks.
New colony on the Moon? Really? They're not going to put a stockbroker, or magazine editor up there? They want whom?
When it comes to health outcomes, particularly obesity, the need for patients to acknowledge their role on the demand side is palpable and critical.
The completely befuddling thing is that most people realise the consequence of years and years of flagrant spending without saving. Even with the presence of a credit card, which helps to bring the consequence home sooner, spending without saving becomes a bit of a drag. It's also basic maths. Reasonable people don't turn up to the doorstep of their banks and accountants after years and years of such behaviour and demand that they "SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!".
It is a curious thing that when the health equivalent shows up: the obese, smoking, hypertensive, hyperlipidaemic, diabetic, non-exercising, non-medication compliant patient turns up in Emergency with crushing left-sided chest pain, their family members turn to the emergency physicians and say: "Do everything you can! Please don't let him die!".
Preventative health is critical. Doctors have been focused on treatment and "unhealthy" management because that is where the demand for their supply is most critical. The shift towards incorporating preventative health is here. For success, it requires joint cooperation (and mutual respect) between doctor and patient. Just basic maths, folks.
Let us talk of the popular sport called "Doctor Bashing".
It is rife in the media, amongst patients, health practitioners (alternative and allied) and, let's not forget, lawyers. Doctors have been vilified as ignorant and blind to economic realities. We have been labelled as expendable and replaceable with algorithms.
Even better, are blithe remarks like this one by Alex Green, wealth author and weight loss columnist:
The best medicine, of course, is preventative. Unfortunately, too many doctors are inclined to prescribe a pill rather than a healthier diet.Market forces would dictate that demand usually determines supply. Doctors (amongst others) will tell you the basic principle of weight loss is: "Less energy in!! More energy out!!". Basic maths, folks. But as soon as there is a hope of an "easy" cure, a miracle in a pill form... the rest of the advice is conveniently forgotten. The same doctor-bashing patients flock: "I could lose weight by taking this pill? And I don't have to stop eating??". Give me the pill! With fries!
It's easy to vilify doctors. Like teachers, we are seen to be keepers (sometimes, accused as withholders) of knowledge, softies for a good cause, confusingly committing years of study and accepting decidedly less pay than what we could have earned privately or in other sectors, all "for the benefit of mankind". We make choices voluntarily to help others. Like teachers, we have responsibilities to current and future generations. And like teachers, we have somehow become the cellar-dwellers of society and yet, we are one of its most important building blocks.
New colony on the Moon? Really? They're not going to put a stockbroker, or magazine editor up there? They want whom?
When it comes to health outcomes, particularly obesity, the need for patients to acknowledge their role on the demand side is palpable and critical.
The completely befuddling thing is that most people realise the consequence of years and years of flagrant spending without saving. Even with the presence of a credit card, which helps to bring the consequence home sooner, spending without saving becomes a bit of a drag. It's also basic maths. Reasonable people don't turn up to the doorstep of their banks and accountants after years and years of such behaviour and demand that they "SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!".
It is a curious thing that when the health equivalent shows up: the obese, smoking, hypertensive, hyperlipidaemic, diabetic, non-exercising, non-medication compliant patient turns up in Emergency with crushing left-sided chest pain, their family members turn to the emergency physicians and say: "Do everything you can! Please don't let him die!".
Preventative health is critical. Doctors have been focused on treatment and "unhealthy" management because that is where the demand for their supply is most critical. The shift towards incorporating preventative health is here. For success, it requires joint cooperation (and mutual respect) between doctor and patient. Just basic maths, folks.
No comments:
Post a Comment