Two generations ago, our grandparents seldom, if ever, questioned the opinion of their doctor. They may well have had serious concerns, but somehow those were not to be voiced in the presence of the doctor.
One generation ago, we found that some of our parents would actually discuss their situations with the doctor and ask about other treatment possibilities than that which had been prescribed. Even then, there was real hesitancy to even think about such a “confrontation”.
Today, many of us are comfortable in taking a very active role in our personal health even to the point of discussing it with our physician counselors on a proactive basis rather than simply a reactive basis. We have access to a wealth of knowledge via The Internet; knowledge that was simply not available to our parents and grandparents. In some cases this has created more sophisticated hypochondriacs, and in other cases it has created informed patients who take a very active role in their health care.
Some old school physicians are still not comfortable with this new era and with outspoken patients. Others embrace the involvement of the patient since they had been trying to foster that for years and years recognizing that a willing and compliant patient stood a far better chance of speedy recovery than did a “doubting Thomas”.
This represents a part of the changing health care scene. It is a glimpse into the future of health care when we’ll all have the opportunity to take a very active role in our personal well-being…and in which we’ll be very nearly expected to participate as an equal partner.
The current movement toward “transparency” in pricing and in outcomes is the beginning of a sea change in health care. Whether or not we like the idea, we will be required to exert more and more personal effort in keeping ourselves healthy. We’ll take part in health risk assessments; we’ll have personal health desktops; we’ll have personal health care coaches that will monitor our progress toward achieving our predetermined personal goals.
Our health care costs and outcomes will be favorably impacted by our results. We’ll be given credit for our accomplishments above and beyond the simple fact that we’ll live longer, healthier and more productive lives than our preceding generations. Already, health care breakthroughs have accounted for significantly extended life expectancy. Life insurance costs have been reduced due to this. We are now on the way to making qualitative improvements in addition to pure quantitative improvements in our lives.
We must become active patients, however, to assure this outcome for ourselves. Simply going along for the ride through our lives is not sufficient. Not from my point of view anyway!
