Tag: health

As a magazine and website publisher, all manner of articles and press releases show up in my inbox on a daily basis. Although some of them are carefully targeted to the markets I serve, most are widespread missives that are sent to every publisher with a pulse, regardless of their beat or focus.

Leading up to the historical—some would say, infamous—healthcare vote in the US house last week, I received an increased number of press releases agin the bill.  Since I wasn’t interested in using any of them, I quickly scanned them while pressing delete; I do not recall any that were in favor of the bill.

Also appearing in my inbox were an increasing number of “op-ed” submissions decrying either the bill or the process. Even though I’ve never published an op-ed piece and never plan to, the submissions continued to arrive. What amazed me was that, for the most part, there was no effort to present a thoughtful discourse or elegant argument; they were filled with polarized perspectives and emotionally laden rhetoric.  While I might have agreed with their general point, I was repelled by their tenor, tone, and tack.

Once the bill was passed and then signed by president Obama, I continued to receive press releases and op-ed pieces in opposition to what had happened — and fear of what might happen.  A new element was added — announcements of lawsuits being filed.

It would seem that the vote approving the bill and its subsequent signing into law will not end the debate; it will merely shift to a new venue.

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is an author, blogger, and publisher with over 30 years of writing and publishing experience. Check out his book The Successful Author for insider tips and insights.

The healthcare reform issue took a giant step forward last weekend, when the Senate agreed to debate the issue. Although things are a bit quieter now, no doubt in part to the Thanksgiving weekend, it is but a momentary lull.

President Obama is putting the weight of the presidency behind this effort and expending a great deal of political capital. For better or worse, healthcare reform could very likely be the legacy of his Presidency.

I fear that future generations will not view it as a good legacy. Here’s why. First, a large majority of citizens are happy with their existing healthcare. Yes, they would like it to cost less and require less paperwork and red tape, but they are essentially pleased with it.  Second, a slight majority feel that the plans and ideas being bandied about are going to make their healthcare situation worse.

That’s a recipe for disaster. A majority of people are basically happy and fear “reform” as making things worse.

Aside from this, there are two other concerns. Has there ever been a government initiative that didn’t end of costing more that expected or promised? (When social security was rolled out, it was promised that the withholding would never go above 1 percent—now it’s more than five times that.) Second, when has the government ever made something simpler? Yes, I am sure that there are some examples where legislation did cost less or did make things simpler, but does anyone truly think that will happen with healthcare? I don’t.

To me that is three strikes against the current healthcare reform efforts:
making it worse—strike 1,
costing more—strike 2, and
failing to simplify—you’re out!

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is an author, blogger, and publisher with over 30 years of writing and publishing experience. Check out his book The Successful Author for insider tips and insights.

The issue of healthcare is at the forefront of political debate as we grind towards the fall election in the United States. At the recent convention I attended, the American Telemedicine Association, I realized that I was defining the problem too simplistically: affordability is only the tip of the iceberg.

In his keynote address, Louis Burns, vice president and general manager of the Digital Health Group at Intel Corporation (yes, Intel is providing technology solutions to healthcare), gave full illumination to the healthcare crisis in the US (and effectively the entire world).

True, affordable healthcare is a concern, as is access to quality care.  However, more alarming is a chronic worldwide shortage of doctors and nurses. Plus, that will be exacerbated as medical practitioners retire faster than their replacements are being trained. To make the situation even more critical is the fact that as the baby-boom generation ages, their need for medical services will increase.

So we will be faced with fewer people being asked to provide more services to an ever-growing population. (Basic economic supply and demand theory suggests that will push prices even higher.)

Fortunately, there is an emerging plan. With medical technological advances (both present and future) it is becoming more likely that we will be spending less time in hospitals and long-term care facilities (where recovery times are longer and patient morale is lower) in lieu of staying at home (where recovery times are quicker and patient morale is higher). This will be viable through some amazing and futuristic remote monitoring technologies that will allow medical practitioners to effectively and efficiently monitor and treat patients from afar.

So despite concerns over the future of healthcare, it is comforting to know that exciting solutions are emerging—and better yet, it doesn’t require government action to make it work!

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is an author, blogger, and publisher with over 30 years of writing and publishing experience. Check out his book The Successful Author for insider tips and insights.