Health-care Consumerism is a movement that advocates for patients’ involvement in decisions regarding their health-care. It is a movement away from the “doctor says/patient does” model, to a working partnership between practitioner and client/patient e.g. an exchange partnership between doctor and patient.
It’s important to have an understanding, finding out everything one possibly can about his or her proposed care. Health Consumerism advocates for patient involvement but this isn’t a new phenomenon. Many holistic practitioners have been using this approach for centuries. This new model of Health-care Consumerism will move away from the “doctor says, patient does”, no questions model, to a working partnership between doctor and patient. Doctors will have to literally listen to their patients and take their patients’ opinions into consideration. Here are some things that can happen if we adhere to this Health-care Consumerism model. There will be:
? A system of health care where patients are appropriately informed and educated to be able to have an active role in their health care decisions.
? A system of health care where the delivery of services are efficient, improved, cost-effective, and the quality of care is not be compromised.
? The economic purchasing power and the decision-making will be put back into the hands of the patient/consumer.
Usually it’s the more affluent people, in authority, who also seem more detached from the reality of those for whom policies are being developed. Decisions and policies are developed for those who are in need and whose culture isn’t necessarily figured into the policies created.
Patients’ input in their care is quite often ignored. Some patients try to shop around for proper health care but meet the same kind of “doctor says, patient do” approach. Unfortunately, we do more shopping around when purchasing a new vehicle or a piece of furniture. Generally speaking, many people don’t like shopping around when it comes to health-care. Many people are disillusioned, disappointed and confused, thinking that it will be more of the same wherever they go, so they trust nothing and wind up accepting anything in the hope that something will work. This is an interesting position which can become a life-threatening one.
Patients generally don’t shop around for health care nor manage their own health information, despite wanting to be cared for by a system that is efficient and effective and one that respects their preferences. In an ideal situation e.g. if there was an actual health care system in place somewhere. However, this isn’t the case anywhere. What currently masquerades as health care is a “Disease Management System of Care”. The aim of this kind of approach is to address the patient’s symptoms by suppressing them, not necessarily identifying the true cause of the illness and eliminating it. The ones who stand to benefit from this “Disease Management System of Care” are the providers of the medical services.
The aim of the Health-care Consumerism movement is to advocate for patient involvement in their own care. The idea is to have more conscientious consumers of health, providers who provide information, financial incentives and the decision-making tools that consumers can use to make informed/educated decisions about their care.
Health-care Consumerism is designed to:
? Increase patient’s knowledge, awareness of lifestyle and wellness practices.
? Foster closer/better communications and cooperation between doctor and patient.
? Provide better health care, improve outcomes, efficiency and making health care more cost-effective throughout the health care industry.
Consumers of proper health care must advocate for and take greater responsibility for their own health care. Most people are not given the tools and the wherewithal to navigate the current “Disease Management System of Care”. There is a plethora of information that confuses the ordinary lay-person. Approximately 75% of consumers believe the decisions they make concerning their care are the most important and expensive decisions they would have to make. Choosing and paying for medical services is expensive, so much so that many patients don’t follow through on treatment because of this fact. Patients/consumers want to be able to make better decisions about their care. Patients/consumers have expectations and demands for better information, which aren’t always forthcoming. As per transparency of health-care professionals, that too presents as an obstacle. Patients no longer want a one-way conversation with their doctor. For the cost of health care, which will continue to skyrocket, you want value for money. Far too many people are being held hostage because they don’t have the funds to afford proper care.
Here is what one might expect in the future, given the current trends:
? Medical professionals will market, deliver and charge for their services. The focus will be on building their own brands and operating more like a retail business in a highly competitive market.
? Patients will continue to pay more for insurance and out-of-pocket costs.
? Costs will go through tax-advantaged plans for companies and insurers. Increased publication of verified patient ratings and provider reviews will decide consumer purchase decision.
? Medical services will become more market-driven and the “Disease Management” approach will continue to be the model of care.
The most cost-effective approach would be Prevention rather than Detection, Restoration and/or Management of the disease condition. We are told the state of health care is constantly being refined, and with Health-care Consumerism on the rise, things should improve for the better, more efficient and cost-effective for all. Consumers must continue to advocate for the changes that Health-care Consumerism can bring, otherwise it will only be business as usual.
