As I was driving along the highway recently, here in the Cleveland area, I noticed that there seemed to be a hospital or medical facility everywhere I looked–huge hospital systems, specialty clinics, urgent care facilities, and more. There’s a hospital in Twinsburg, the town next to where we live, and I remember when it was being built. Everyone seemed very excited to have such a modern, advanced, and reputable hospital system right here near us. The building was huge, the design was impressive, and level of care would be state-of -the-art.
Logic would say that a city like Twinsburg, with a huge hospital right there, giving its surrounding community such easy access to all of their doctors, tests, and treatments, would result in its residents becoming significantly healthier than the general population. It was built in 2011, so after it being in operation for over fifteen years, I’d ask, are the people of Twinsburg healthier? Happier? Having less sickness and disease? Seeing higher cure rates? Living longer?
I don’t have the exact data to give you regarding those questions, but the simple answer is no to all of them. Doesn’t that seem odd? More access to our healthcare system should lead to better health. But it doesn’t. Why not?
Even when we pan out and look at healthcare in the entire U.S., we can see that we have the most advanced healthcare system on the planet. We have the most hospitals, doctors, nurses, therapies, diagnostic tests, procedures, and medications. Yet, the U.S. ranks at the bottom for almost all health outcomes among developed nations. We spend the most money, yet have the worst outcomes. The U.S. makes up 5% of the world’s population, yet I have read that we consume 87% of the world’s prescription drugs. I’ve seen arguments against that 87% number, but even if it is inaccurate, we surely consume a significantly higher percentage of prescription drugs than any other country. More drugs should equal better health outcomes, right? Wrong! They clearly don’t.
Just about every stat you’ll find related to the health of Americans is scary. It’s shameful, sad, and embarrassing. What’s worse is that we continue doing the same things, expecting different results (I believe that’s the definition of insanity!).
Our so-called healthcare system is not a health-care system. It is a crisis-care system. Yes, we have better access to diagnostic testing, medical procedures, and medications, but everything revolves around the diagnosis and treatment of disease… not around actually building health. There is huge difference between treating sickness and building health. True health is built through eating better food, exercising more, getting higher-quality sleep, engaging in meaningful work, and being involved in loving relationships. These things don’t come in a pill.
We need medicine, diagnostic testing, and disease treatment. I would be foolish to say we don’t. But this system will never produce the health outcomes we all want and need. The system produces more diagnosis, more treatment, and more prescriptions, but does not produce healthier people.
What we need from out healthcare system is better health. Unfortunately, this system is not set up for that. The sooner you realize that, the sooner you can choose a better system. It isn’t a state-of-the-art building you walk into, a superstar doctor you see, or a magic pill you take. It is the lifestyle choices that you make. Utilize the current healthcare system for what it does best… addresses crises, puts out fires, and helps with emergencies. But don’t expect it to make you healthy… because simply put… it can’t!
