Medicare vs. Patient Care

i_love_medicare_stickerConference participants wore ‘I Love Medicare’ pins in Calgary.

Nietzsche might ask

Do you love medicare because patients benefit, or do you love medicare because you benefit?

Do you love ‘free care’ more than patient care?

People can care more about the idea of universal health care than they do about the care patients receive.

They deny data showing

long waits

poor patient outcomes

lack of access

lack of coordination

high cost

inefficiency

lack of control

provider frustration

Their solutions focus on

more control

more funding

more rationing

more cuts to salaries > 100k

more patient education to divert access

They would rather fight for a failed system than fight for improved patient care.

dog-ma-tism

n. An arrogant, stubborn assertion of opinion or belief

dog-ma-tism n.

1. positiveness in assertion of opinion especially when unwarranted or arrogant

2. a viewpoint or system of ideas based on insufficiently examined premises

Medicare dogmatism will guarantee mediocrity at best.

We need a system that:

puts patients’ needs first

makes patient experience central to funding

gives patients great access

offers patient choice

guarantees quality care (Quality should be a given)

demonstrates business excellence

attracts the best leaders

rewards great outcomes; not mediocrity

aligns incentives for every provider

rewards grass-roots provider innovation

gives control to health-care experts

This can happen in a publicly funded system, but it will never happen if people resist change.

We need to stop thinking that health-care is so special, complicated and unchangeable.

Do we love medicare more than patient care? Can we have an adult conversation about change?  What do you think?

6 thoughts on “Medicare vs. Patient Care”

  1. I share these ideas and feelings wholeheartedly, but could never articulate them like this. Public or no public we need dynamic change leaders not the malaise of disengaged managers

    1. Well said, Scotty!

      “…we need dynamic change leaders not the malaise of disengaged managers.”

      Cheers

      S

  2. We desperately need better patient care. The previous comment I agree with – need for dynamic leaders who see how to address the needs. Our loved ones are waiting, lost in the shuffle. A friend in her 70s told me a few days ago that she has an appointment for a colonoscopy that she has been waiting on for TWO years! That seems excessively long to me. If there was a serious health concern – Two years waiting for test means serious complications and perhaps loss of life!

    I want a system that puts patients front and centre again. I am glad to see Social Media exposing the delays and the shortages in our health care. I feel for the seniors and vulnerable in our society who wait in silence.

    Thank you.

    1. What a great/sad note, Natrice! Unless we can share stories, as you have, we will never get genuine system change.

      I want a system that puts patients front and centre again.”

      Well said indeed. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment!

      Best Regards,

      Shawn

  3. Interesting note Shawn. Rewarding mediocrity is a big problem in my eyes. In our fever to make sure everyone is treated/treated equally, we allow a lot of mediocre care and frankly poor behaviour to be tolerated. Until funding starts to focus on some kind of quality measure, mediocrity will be the norm.

    1. Great point, Jon.

      It makes us ask, “What is quality?” and “Quality of what, exactly?” Providers focus on the quality of medical care; patients might have a thicker definition of quality. Then we might ask, “What is medical care?” Some might say it’s matching patients with evidence; others might say it’s clinical judgement.

      Despite the challenges, I totally agree, “until funding starts to focus on some kind of quality measure, mediocrity will be the norm.”

      Thanks for commenting!

      Cheers

      Shawn

Comments are closed.