Generally lotteries are benign enough. Most of us spend pocket change for a chance to win millions, even though, deep in our hearts, we know the huge odds against us. In fact, if you invested a thousand dollars in the lottery every day for two weeks, at the end of that time, for the average […]
Healthcare Policy
Why Your Doctor Seems To Be Ignoring You- They’re Playing a Video Game
Contrary to the public’s experience, most doctors do want to make eye contact. They aren’t antisocial. They want to engage. But they can’t. They’re too distracted by one of the worst computer games ever invented—the electronic medical record (EMR). You may be surprised to see the EMR compared to a computer game, but there are […]
Looking to Improve Healthcare Customer Service? Consider Paying Direct
My friend Lisa Suennen recently posted a blog lamenting her experience as a patient rather than a healthcare investor. Her experience was, to say the least, not ideal. Jostled, poked and prodded, cajoled to undergo treatment, she seemed more like a luxury cruise liner undergoing repairs than a passenger being cared for. Lisa’s experience seems […]
Obamacare: Healthcare’s Own Journey Through Wonderland (Part 2)
Rich or poor, without your health, you have nothing. Perhaps that’s why the business of healthcare, almost 20% of America’s GDP, has been given a pass on the capitalist model of business practice. No other business has thrived without some level of price transparency and a promise of quality. However, with the passage of the […]
Obamacare, Healthcare’s Own Journey Through Wonderland
Imagine you’re in a grocery store. A man in white is wheeling your cart, grabbing things from the shelf. “You need some broccoli, it’s good for you,” he says. You meekly mention you don’t like broccoli, but he ignores you. “How about some of this steak?” he suggests. I don’t eat meat,” you say. When […]
Healthcare Reform and Pain Management: A Retreat from Drugs and Surgery
In one particular arena, pain is a uniquely American condition. Americans make up 4 % of the world’s population but consume 80% of the prescription narcotic medications. How is this possible? The following scenario from my area of practice is typical: a patient comes in with back pain, endures hours of rehabilitation, thousands of dollars […]