The final volume of The Battle for Justice: 'Sickcare' vs. 'Health-Owners' Series.
The 6-part blog series reflects on one patient’s experience and unravels the complex and mind-boggling factors surrounding American patients. I aim to shed light on the extent of US healthcare troubles, explore the reasons behind the current state, and, ultimately, challenge you to rethink healthcare and consider doing things differently.
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Now, let’s go back to Jack’s case. His story is heartbreaking because he did try to do the right thing - he sought care when he needed help, and he even researched and found out about his condition.
Unfortunately, he put too much trust in the Sickcare system and agreed to the procedure that he didn’t really understand without asking questions.
In other words, he did not have the Health Owner (H.O.) Mindset.
As depicted with the red line, his health went in a downward spiral with each adverse event. On top of his physical problems, the emotional distress of dealing with the uncaring Sickcare system, led to poor sleep, diet, and activities, which exacerbated his overall health.
Remember, Jack was in good health before he was bitten by a tick in his early 30s. He recovered from the rash, but he probably didn’t receive a full antibiotic treatment, because the stress from the fall from the Bronco ride triggered his mysterious (likely chronic Lyme Disease) symptoms.
If he had received complete care shortly after the tick bite, he should’ve completely recovered.
Even after the fall, he would’ve probably recovered to some degree if he simply took good care of himself because the human body is resilient up to a certain point. Tragically, he was traumatized by Sickcare, instead.
Now, imagine if Jack had decided to adopt the H.O. Mindset when he had difficulty communicating with his doctors. He would’ve realized he needed support to understand his care plan.
Not having friends or family members with medical knowledge wouldn’t have stopped him. He would’ve searched for a professional advocate back then because he knew that his health was precious, and nobody would take responsibility besides him.
A skilled advocate could have facilitated Jack's discussions with his doctors, ensured he understood his options clearly, and helped him choose the proper treatment. If necessary, the advocate would speak up on his behalf and also research alternative treatments and doctors.
His health journey would have been very different in this scenario, as depicted by the green (if he had worked with an advocate soon after the fall) and yellow (if he had retained an advocate as his care went terribly wrong) lines above.
There would've been no reason for him to travel to Europe! He would've completed the engineering degree he'd started and enjoyed so much!
The sooner he got support, the quicker and better outcome he would have gotten.
That’s why it’s critical that patients take action before too late.
American people must fight against injustice by owning their health
I hope I’ve convinced you that US Sickcare is deeply unfair to the American people, and we must stop letting the system take advantage of us.
Yes, many things in the system must change.
But realistically… Should we wait for any entity (the government, a business, a group of smart people etc.) to fight against the powerful Sickcare Industrial Complex and rein in their profiteering in our hyper-capitalistic society?
I believe the only hope left is a large number of people adopting the H.O. Mindset.
If enough of us become Health Owners and don’t let the Sickcare system take advantage of us, we can force the system to change significantly.
Remember, we are consumers and voters!
Health Owners can also help various kinds of clinicians and providers combat staff shortage and burnout because engaged patients would make clinicians’ jobs easier and more enjoyable.
However, as described throughout this blog series, the system is misaligned with patient welfare in many ways. Oftentimes, the ugly truth about the Sickcare system is not even apparent to most people, hidden behind smoke screens and confusing rhetoric.
That’s why advocacy is critical, which allows you to arm yourself with good knowledge, skills, and make wise preparations.
In fact, all of us need an advocate, even doctors and nurses, when we are sick or vulnerable.
Become an advocate for yourself and your loved ones, or get an advocate in time. That can change everything.
"Health is a priceless wealth. Invest while you can." (Bryant McGill)
It’s time to fight for justice.
Will you join the fight?
If you want to be a Health Owner, be sure to check out my free comprehensive guide to getting better value from your health provider. 🙂
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Here are some final reflective questions for you.
Reflect on a time when you or someone you know faced challenges navigating the healthcare system. How did those challenges impact the outcome of your or their health journey? What could have been done differently with a proactive approach to advocacy?
Consider the concept of the Health Owner (H.O.) Mindset proposed in the blog series. Did it resonate with you? How might adopting this mindset change the way you approach your healthcare decisions? What barriers do you foresee in implementing this mindset on a larger scale?
The blog series concluded that systemic change in healthcare requires a grassroots movement of individuals taking ownership of their health. Do you agree with this assessment? Why or why not? What other approaches do you think could be effective in reforming the healthcare system?
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About Kayoko Corbet, RN, BCPA
Hi, I’m Ky! I assist people in navigating the healthcare maze and complexities to get the care they need and deserve with full benefit. I also help people better manage their health to have a better future.
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