I am watching the House series from the beginning :).
I always have to find shows to watch on Netflix while I de-stress and do my yoga. So after watching countless episodes of various different series, I am going back to an old faithful.
Now I am at one of the episodes where one character claims that Dr. House is the exact symbol of everything that is wrong in the health care system. This character claims that "health care is a business".
By all means, health care is a business. A multi-billion dollar business. One of the most successful in the country along with banking institutions. That does NOT mean that the focus should be on ANYTHING other than getting the patient well. Obviously there are grey areas, exceptions, patients who abuse the system, patients who are hypochondriacs, drug-seekers, and patients who knowingly continue to participate in activities that deteriorate one's health (drug abuse etc...) but every single person deserves to feel well. Every single person deserves to be healthy.
What I like about the idea of Dr. House is that he does not stop - he obsesses - about a patient until he has figured out the ENTIRE picture, the entire reason why his patient is sick. He even goes so far as to examining environmental conditions himself.
I have had a ton of doctors in my lifetime already. My absolute favorite doctors have been problem solvers. I don't need to be coddled, I don't even need a good bedside manner as long as he/she is willing to do whatever it takes to figure it out.
Whatever it takes.
Yes, health care is a business. But the focus should not be on business models, financial projections, and worst of all, politics and egos.
I am extremely lucky. The doctors that I have been fortunate enough to deal with are absolutely amazing. I have had my share of negative experiences, but overall, the specialists that have been following my case for a decade or more are absolutely fantastic.
Let's do whatever it takes to get patient care back as the focus for everyone.