The healthcare system is dysfunctional. But is it working the way it should or could and more importantly, is it sustainable? And where did the opioid crisis come in?

 

In this episode, I talk with Mike McNeill about inefficiencies in the healthcare system. The rising cost of healthcare expenditures across the board call into question whether we’re “doing it right” or not. Total health expenditures per capita in the U.S. exceeded $10,000 in 2016. That means we’re spending more than $10,000 per person, per year on healthcare! That’s expensive!

 

Key Points in the Podcast:

-As technology progresses, we discover that healthcare is more complex than we thought

-The U.S. has been throwing money at health indiscriminately, but we aren’t getting healthier

-We ought to treat causes, not symptoms – the healthcare system is ineffectively addressing symptoms instead of causes

-Patient satisfaction is driving healthcare, but satisfaction is not necessarily what’s best for people

-We need to think long-term, not short-term

-Big Pharma took advantage of the pain management trend and got people hooked on opioids

-We need to invest in preventative care, not symptomatic care

 

Mike McNeill has a Medical Doctorate from Creighton University and is currently a medical resident in California.

 

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