As a nation we need to take the steps to rework the concentration of reactive medical treatment to one that promotes health and focuses on the importance of prevention. With so many chronic diseases becoming existent in our nation and the frighteningly high treatment costs that come with them there has been an increase in collaboration to support the growth of prevention awareness. With a preventative approach, there comes a considerable reduction in healthcare costs and avoidable chronic diseases that presently afflict many Americans. Although this type of reform can positively contribute to our healthcare system, there still remain many challenges that stand in the way of advancement and implementation. The public’s deficient cognizance of
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Our country, until quite recently, has been focused on an acute care approach, which has unfortunately led to skyrocketing medical costs due to the expensive nature of treatment options. With costs continuing to rise to an unrealistic level and many Americans suffering/dying from preventable chronic diseases, the U.S. healthcare system requires a new strategy that’s focused on disease prevention and health promotion. According to the CDC, “Chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, are responsible for 7 of every 10 deaths among Americans each year and account for 75% of the nation’s health spending. These chronic diseases can be largely preventable through close partnership with your healthcare team, or can be detected through appropriate screenings, when treatment works best.” …show more content…
With so many of our current healthcare professionals having been trained and educated by the previous system of after the fact care it makes a prevention and health reform rather difficult. There needs to be a clearer effort to revise the education of all medical personnel and to create a training platform that strongly concentrates on primary-preventative (prevention of disease before it happens) care techniques. Along with medical staff members being reluctant to change delivery systems, the public also remains tentative due to the powerfully engrained system of diagnosis and treatment care. This form of care has existed from the beginning and currently remains the preferred system, as the public doesn’t need to worry about diseases and the costs of treatment options until after they have been diagnosed. Sultz and Young explain that, “Provider payment incentives have always favored intervention after the fact rather than prevention, in spite of strong evidence of the cost-effectiveness of primary prevention. As a result, the US currently spends most of its health care dollars treating diseases that could have been prevented.” (2014, p. 225) Another impediment that stands in the way is the difficulty in convincing many Americans to modify their lifestyles and routines;
Our country, until quite recently, has been focused on an acute care approach, which has unfortunately led to skyrocketing medical costs due to the expensive nature of treatment options. With costs continuing to rise to an unrealistic level and many Americans suffering/dying from preventable chronic diseases, the U.S. healthcare system requires a new strategy that’s focused on disease prevention and health promotion. According to the CDC, “Chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, are responsible for 7 of every 10 deaths among Americans each year and account for 75% of the nation’s health spending. These chronic diseases can be largely preventable through close partnership with your healthcare team, or can be detected through appropriate screenings, when treatment works best.” …show more content…
With so many of our current healthcare professionals having been trained and educated by the previous system of after the fact care it makes a prevention and health reform rather difficult. There needs to be a clearer effort to revise the education of all medical personnel and to create a training platform that strongly concentrates on primary-preventative (prevention of disease before it happens) care techniques. Along with medical staff members being reluctant to change delivery systems, the public also remains tentative due to the powerfully engrained system of diagnosis and treatment care. This form of care has existed from the beginning and currently remains the preferred system, as the public doesn’t need to worry about diseases and the costs of treatment options until after they have been diagnosed. Sultz and Young explain that, “Provider payment incentives have always favored intervention after the fact rather than prevention, in spite of strong evidence of the cost-effectiveness of primary prevention. As a result, the US currently spends most of its health care dollars treating diseases that could have been prevented.” (2014, p. 225) Another impediment that stands in the way is the difficulty in convincing many Americans to modify their lifestyles and routines;