Two months ago I had an epiphany and realization which I believe will resonate with you.
After spending 30 years educating, training, and empowering individuals and healthcare providers to shift their focus towards Prevention, Lifestyle Medicine and Healthy Living it feels (at least to me …) that not that much has really changed.
Yes, millions of people and healthcare professionals have a deep passion to live healthier, happier, and longer but the hard reality is that the underlying mechanisms in healthcare are very similar or even worse than three decades ago (something Dr. Robert Pearl, Kaiser Permanente CEO for 20 years confirmed in our last Lifestyle Medicine Summit).
My realization specifically was that we can’t change healthcare without changing the HEALTH-MONEY RELATIONSHIP which is at the core of the problem.
A few large financial institutions, companies, and organizations make all the decisions? Lack of privacy? Insurance fees are outrageous? With our Pay-For-Services model more disease means higher income? Even if doctors want to change they really can’t because of current financial incentives?
There’s a reason why it’s called healthcare $ business.
Especially with chronic health issues it often seems that treatments that are reimbursed or pay well are preferred instead of modalities beneficial to patients (as noted by Dean Ornish MD and others).
Have I been too naïve? Is this just how it is and will be for another 30 years?
No. I refuse to believe that.
“You never change things by fighting the existing reality.
To change something, build a new model
that makes the existing model obsolete.”
Buckminster Fuller
What we need to do is make Lifestyle Medicine, Health Coaching & Healthy Living accessible and easy. Would you hire a health coach if you can easily afford it or even get paid for it?
But first, we need to have honest discussions about the real problems and how we can create Healthcare 3.0 that is firmly based on prevention & healthy living.
We named our podcast HealthiWealthi™ because Health is Wealth.
Health and Wealth (prosperity or whatever word you use) are deeply intertwined with health.
We are our own source of health and wealth if we decide to make it so.
Watch out for the first podcast episode to arrive in your inbox Friday, February 4, 2022. You can listen to and download the podcast on Spotify, iTunes, or your favorite podcast platforms.
Enjoy!
Johannes
