by S. Russell Vester, MD
8. March 2010 09:40
So what's the next step? What’s the first step we all need to take to be one of those "got things to do" ninety-plus years old folks?The first step is to TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for your own health.
Your doctor and other care-givers are there to help you with your health. They are not there to be responsible for the decisions you make. Unfortunately most people rely on their doctors for advice regarding what to do when they are sick. If our population gave us doctors even half a shot at helping them maintain their health, the folks in Washington wouldn't be trying so hard to give us health care reform. I'd be willing to bet that if half of us spent half as much time caring for ourselves as we do for our cars, our country’s health care costs would be a fraction of what they are today. A significantly smaller fraction.
Unfortunately we live in a society where we have somehow learned to think that we can more or less do as we please with our bodies until something gives out. And when it does give out we work under the assumption that the current level of medical science can bail us out. Better yet, our insurance will pay for it. What a deal. Do what you want -smoke, eat way too much and the wrong things, don't exercise- and someone else picks up the tab.
The actual term for this is "moral hazard." It's an insurance term that basically means you are separated from the consequences of your actions.
In all other aspects of our lives we would think this is completely nuts. Somehow with health care we think this is just fine. Go figure.
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