Medicine is not healthcare…Medicine is sick care.
Let’s all get this straight for a change.
– attributed to Sidney Garfield, MD
One of the innovations that is emerging from an entrepreneur in the New Health Economy – because of ownership, “getting H,” and innovation – is the concept of Health Management.
There is a need for personalized health management in a similar vein as there is a need for personal financial and wealth management.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 60% of Americans are suffering from a chronic or rare condition with no conventional treatments. What’s worse, 40% of Americans are currently suffering from 2 or more chronic or a rare conditions.
What’s more, 7 out of 10 deaths that occur in the United States are due to chronic illnesses.
And we now know that 25% of children are suffering from chronic diseases.
In fact, and again according to the CDC, 99% of the disease management is handled by the individual, or theindividual’s family, that is suffering.
And, yet, with these issues come opportunities in the New Health Economy.
From a 2021 Quantum HealthSurvey, 39% of individuals overall, and 56% of patients with chronic conditions, say that they need professional management services to make their healthcare experiences less stressful, increase confidence, and save time with their health care issues.
From the same survey, we’re shown that half of all people (50%) with chronic or complex conditions believe that navigation and management would improve communication with their providers and, more importantly, improve their health outcomes.
Plus, research shows that 97% of people are either unable or unwilling to do things on their own.
What is Health Management?
Health management is a system of care that considers the whole person and its total influences.
In other words, health management takes into account how the world around us affects our health. This includes, but is not limited to:
- The physical body, which includes the internal and external systems of the body, and how they interact
- Personal relationship
- Psychological and environmental factors
- Nutrition and exercise
- And much more
But, before we dig further into the concept of personalized health management, let’s identify the
3 Levels of Health Management.
Unfortunately, many see medicine, health, and wellness to be the same thing. Thiscould not be further from the truth.
Twentieth century “medicine” hijacked the terms health and wellness, but “medicine” is not actually providing health and wellness.
Humans on the earth today – and especially Americans – have more issues, diseases, and problems than we have ever had in the past.
There are 3 Levels ofHealth Management:
- Medicine
- Health
- Wellness
They are in this order for a very specific reason. The most important part of health management is Wellness. That’s why it’s at the foundation of the triangle.
Unfortunately, and like so much in the Old Medical Economy, this is the exact opposite of the wayit’s been. In the Matrix of ModernMedicine, the focus is on Medicine and there is very little, if any, importance put on Wellness.
Medicine is where we go not for health,but for acute – or immediate – issues, such as sickness, broken bones, surgery,and even cancer. While a very basic explanation, 20th century medicine has shown us how to numb the pain and put the body back together.
If a patient is getting help from medicine, there is something wrong. This is where medical specialists, such as surgeons, or other specialists come into play.
Health is the state of physical, mental, emotional, social,and spiritual well-being. It is not merely the absence of disease, but the presence of – or process toward – well-being.
While primary care providers are supposed to be providing health care, they do not. It’s not their fault because the current system (the Matrix of Modern Medicine) does not allow for the proper mindsets and obscures the understanding of real and powerful incentives.
Wellness is the process of learning about and engaging in behaviors that are likely to result in optimal health. This is done through the deliberate effort of an individual.
As individuals, we are responsible for our own wellness.
As individuals, we must choose to seek to be well.
The Need for a Health Manager?
Unfortunately, “insurance” does not pay for real health care, or more accurately and as I’ve defined in this chapter, health management. “Insurance” only pays for medical procedures and treatments. In other words, “sick care.”
This is why there needs to be a free-market profit-seeking solution (as part of horizontal integration) to provide real care and management in the New Health Economy.
A health manager is someone who is an engaged participant in the active, on-going process of helping a patient’s body heal itself while considering the whole person and its influences. This provides a comprehensive and cohesive approach to a patient’s health and care.
With a proper mindset, and when properly incentivized, a health manager can sit right in the middle of medicine and wellness to manage them all: medicine, health, and wellness for patients. And, just as important, to manage the relationships of the other stakeholders of the patient’s health, wellness, and medical care (when, or if, needed).
There is a big gap, or void, in the care of patients in the Matrix of Modern Medicine. It doesn’t matter whether those seeking real care – or health management – no longer have hope, are suffering from some form of chronic disease, or if they are simply looking to optimize their health and live their best life.
Patients in the New Health Economy will have guidance from health managers to help them navigate the complexities of their health, which includes the 3 Levels ofHealth Management.
People like to make analogies to make points…and some might liken the health manager to being the “quarterback.”
This, however, is the wrong analogy. As we now know, a patient cannot have “health” unless they are first seeking wellness; health and wellness require an individual decision and purposeful action.
So, think of the patient as the owner of a professional sports franchise…and the patient hires the health manager as the “general manager” to help them figure out who should –and just as important – who should not be on the health management team.
If you’re sick, go to a doctor for some medicine.
If you want to be healthy, or want a better quality of life,
go to a health manager who understands the art of healing.
– Mark Aubry
Looking for more information about the New Health Economy?
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