The two most significant drivers of the healthcare sector are access and convenience. Though, pretty much every business sector markets to convenience. Society expects it at this point. However, it comes with a silent price that no one seems to acknowledge, especially when it comes to healthcare. It is simply causing us to cut corners. 

We all live busy lives and have become accustomed to finding ways to make it easier. Who hasn’t eaten fast food while picking up kids and heading to the ball diamonds? Dining in our cars instead of the family dinner table is the norm. Well, take it from the healthcare side. Telemedicine is on the rise. They claim it is the future of medicine.   You can treat patients anywhere at any time; what’s not to love about this.   The most crucial part of a doctor’s appointment is a physical assessment.  Apparently, you don’t need that anymore to make a confirmative diagnosis. With the height of COVID, I had a virtual appointment for my asthma.  Listening to my lungs, looking into my nasal passages and ears for signs of allergies were not obtainable.  Leading me to ask, how can you properly evaluate the status of my asthma virtually?

Another part of the equation we forget about is the patient-doctor relationship and where trust comes into the equation. Patients want a doctor who knows them inside and out. It’s the only way you get continuity of care. Let’s face it, when we are sick, we are vulnerable; therefore, we need someone who understands our history and lifestyle.  

I continue to see the quality of care go down the drain. The depersonalization of care pushes us away from the patient-centric method. You are a number in the system, not a person. So why do healthcare systems continue to make decisions that fail to create environments that support interaction between patients and clinicians? You have all the mobile units popping up all over the place. The purpose is to be able to reach more people. Usually, you reach the exact demographics you would receive on a hospital campus because that same group will take advantage of access because they are accountable for their health. In turn, usually, that is your healthy population. In some ways, the whole concept is counterproductive.  You see this creates fragmented care which only ends up costing healthcare systems more money.  Value in healthcare should be measured in terms of patient outcomes achieved per dollar expended.  More care and more expensive care doesn’t necessarily mean better care.

Continuity of care and comprehensive communication should take priority over convenience. Personalized medicine, needs to become the fundamental approach as it tailors individualized treatment plans, needs, and preferences, improving patient outcomes.  It shifts the emphasis in medicine from reactive to prevention.   It’s time to go back to our roots of humanizing care again, especially if our goal is to enhance the quality of life.