Hurry, Hurry! Urgent Actions!

CHANGING HEALTH CARE There are very few changes that occurs in life that doesn’t experience some form of obstacles, disagreements or tough resistance. Changing is much more acceptable and easily attainable in a young or early stage of almost anything than when aged or maturity has settled in. Trying to introduce change to an operation that has been plagued with greed, limited staff, corruption and huge profit making over several years, is a tremendous challenge and a very steep hill to climb. The reality is , the problems cannot be overlooked or brush aside, it has to be dealt within a timely, reasonable and responsible manner. Most countries around the world are struggling to provide efficient and affordable health care for its citizens. The question is, are they really approaching or addressing the problems the right way? There is no doubt that the spiraling population growth has affected all aspect of human’s welfare around the globe, creating a huge unbalance equation in the supply of proper goods and services. Although several countries, counties, towns and districts face different challenges where health care is concern around the world, there are seven basic urgent changes, that if applied responsibly; may bring about a more efficient and affordable health care cost around the globe. Number one; Prevention through education. Preventing a catastrophe is more prudent than allowing it to happen, then trying to rectify or rebuild after. Proper hygiene should be taught and practiced from a very tender age until death. Most parents are not doing a very good job in training their children about proper hygiene. In fact, most parents do not practice it themselves. It’s amazing the amount of sicknesses that are caused as a result of not practicing proper hygiene. Simple actions can either create or prevent major problems. For example, just by washing your hands before preparing a meal, and during preparation, depending on what is being prepared, such as raw meat which should be handled with sanitary gloves and regular washing of hands. Keeping your fingers and toe nails short and clean. Cover your mouth when coughing, or sneezing, brush your teeth and tongue at least three times daily. When you have a cold do not spit out phlegm on the ground for someone else to come and step into it, dispose of it properly. Wash your hands after using the bathroom, with the exception of taking a shower or bath, cleaning of ears and keeping your home and surroundings tidy and clean. If the majority of people would just make these simple hygiene techniques a routine an every day practice. The health care industry would save billions of dollars in the cost of health care around the world annually. Cleanliness is healthiness. The prevention of the regular consumption of certain foods and habitual practices are of ideal importance in enhancing good health. Foods such as too much red meat, too much carbohydrates, too much salt in our daily diets and habits such as smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages are not helpful. moderation is always beneficial. Some of the traditional methods of medicines should not be swept under the rug or being prohibited. The natural plants and herbs were doing exceptionally well before some of the new wave of modern medicines arrived on the scene which in some ways does not work as effective as the traditional medicines. In my opinion I do believe that many modern day medicines has far more side effects to patients than traditional ones. For example a person may be taking medicine for kidney problem and the same medicine can possible affects other unrelated organs of the body causing a chain reaction of illnesses. Which just drives up the cost of health care through the roof. Traditional medicine should continue to be utilized on a larger scale. Just a week ago, I was stung by a bee, my arm was hurting and swollen badly. A few hours later with the pain escalating, I was thinking of going to the emergency room when I was told by two of my co-workers, to just wet some tobacco and place it on the swollen area, actually, one of them gave me a cigarette, I wet it and put it on the swollen spot, and within few hours the swelling went down. I saved myself hours of waiting in the emergency room to be attended to, filling out all the paper work, paying monies for deductible fee and prescription costs. Plus saving the insurance company hundreds of dollars. If simple first aid action can be applied and preventive measures are practiced, the saving on the cost of health care would be humongous. With a permanent massive educational program on prevention of minor sicknesses, diseases, precaution of what we eat, drink, exposure to certain chemicals, unhealthy habits plus the teaching of rendering first aid in minor emergencies would be of tremendous help in easing the cost of health care, simple as it may sound. What we put into our bodies are very crucial in maintaining good health. The food and drug administration of each country should examine carefully the safety of the foods and drugs their citizens are consuming at all times. Education, health, food and security should not be compromised or short changed by no means whatsoever. Issue number two: Most health care systems are saturated with unqualified and uncertified individuals who are involved in practicing medical services. If the relevant authority of government of each country are sincerely concerned in the health of their citizens, there is absolutely no way unqualified individuals should be penetrating in such a delicate and caring system. Diligent vetting and screening in the hiring and enrollment of medical personnel should be of paramount concern to ensure the absence of medical malpractices, which contribute highly to the high cost of health care. Issue number three: Frivolous lawsuits need to be eliminated out of the system completely. Although pain cannot be seen physically, it has been faked over and over again. In most third world countries if not all , trying to fake pain and injuries with the intention of suing to obtain money barely exist. In the case of real physical accidents and ailment where evidence is not questionable. Then situations as such are excused. Unfortunately in some developed countries these lawsuits are common. The fraud business has become so lucrative, that thousands of people take it as a full time career. Also attracting thousands of visitors and immigrants to get involved in such behaviors. If these lawsuits are eliminated the health system especially of developing countries would experience significant financial savings Issue number four; Insurance fraud. Some medical personnel and institutions engage in outrageous dishonest practices, such as performing unnecessary surgeries, giving false diagnosis, offering unnecessary treatment, adding unnecessary services and charges inflating the medical bill in order to over bill the insurance companies. The mentality of greed has eaten away their conscience and sympathy for their patients. Without strict oversights regarding issues of such, health care will experience no form of recovery. Issue number five. The Food & Drug Administration and the pharmaceutical industry are too close as if they are dating each other, They should have a relationship in comparison to that of attorneys and insurance companies. Most illness are caused from our eating habits. The food we eat is suppose to make us healthy. If we eat healthy, we will live healthy. If we live healthy , then there will be not enough demand for pharmaceutical products. That’s just common sense. There are very few friends that are strong in will power in telling the other that what they are doing is wrong. The secrecy in a tight friendship is we have to have each other’s back.