The Bottom Line...

The landscape of the US healthcare system has changed radically in the past 25 years. I remember the days when I followed my father around when he was making rounds to checkup on his patients. There was actual interaction between him and the patient. What do I mean by this? My father actually spent time with the patient going over the present treatment plan and then discussing the future treatment options.

You don’t see this type of doctor/patient relationship in the current US healthcare system. Today, the patient is looked upon as merely a commodity and the hospital administrators just want to optimize their bottom line. I frequently ask my current Western medical colleagues about their relationship with their patients. Most tell me that there really isn’t one.

They tell me that the most communication comes between the doctor ho serves as the care coordinator. Often, this role is fulfilled by a nurse practitioner, especially in outpatient settings. However, even here, the doctor or nurse rarely forms the type of relationship my father did when he treated his patients. My doctor colleagues tell me that thy just do what they are asked and will see the patient when it is their time to do so.

Is it me or does the patient present like a car bring worked on in a car service shop? I have experienced car service men who look for ways to increase their bottom line by way of charging for parts that are needed etc… My point is that the patient in today’s healthcare is becoming a commodity.

To today’s healthcare professional, integration means the ways to increase the bottom line to the “corporates”. Unfortunately, it does not mean to optimize the care that the patient receives. I long back to the years when I witnessed the true compassion shared in my father’s relationship with his patients.