Healthcare (again): What matters?
Tuesday, September 15th, 2009At the Quality Colloquium which took place at Harvard last month, patient safety was all tied up in reducing the costs of healthcare. Millions of dollars can be saved by not very sexy practices of washing hands, making sure the right medications go to the right person at the right dosage at the right time, making sure that the surgery is performed on the patient. Oh, there was more…but you get the idea.
I asked a simple question: With all the potential savings, when will our premiums be reduced…if we are healthy and productive and good people and the waste in healthcare is minimized..will our premiums go down? The answer: No. Small businesses have no negotiating power.
So, my answer is that our individual and collective power is the power we have to make much needed changes not only in healthcare, but in the demonstration of our rules of civility and strength in each other by taking on healthcare and thinking through whether this is about money or about life and death…which has no monetary value.
That current lack of civility, going after President Obama, taking positions while using patients as pawns in the game of healthycare monopoly is not how our history is. We have shown each other that we can show up and do what is right.
I remain hopeful. And, as you are, vulnerable to those who will decide whether or not I am worth medical treatment. Those who think they are not vulnerable are like those here in Nevada who play slot machines and think they can win with enough spare change.
Evidence-based public debate is longed for here….
September 15th, 2009 at 9:19 am
Susan,
I completely agree with your blog entry this month. Now is the time to move forward in this country with sustainable health care for all.