We are discussing individual responsibliity in health care. Some really good ideas have been thrown out. We think that it is critical to encourage early involvement in personal wellness. This is a process that begins early in life, in childhood when many lessons are learned. Schools and families have the potential to greatly impact how children look at their health. We think that patient empowerment needs to be a focus that is stressed by schools and maybe even placed in a curriculum. This empowerment should extend past formative years and into college and even adult school. Another important part of individual responsiblity is the relationship between patient and doctor. There needs to be a culture change not only to encourage patients to take a greater role in their care but also to encourage doctors to involve patients.
Some core principles we have discussed and agree upon:
individual responsibility, empowerment of patients at research end, early involvement in care, doctor-patient relationship, personalized medicine, role of technology, prevention and wellness.
Question for everyone: what do you think that patients should be able to control?
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Family health history is a great place to start. It is information only the patient knows and can share with his/her provider. This makes the patient an active participant in his/her own care, making healthcare a partnership and a dialogue rather than something imposed on you when you are sick. Conversation around FHH should lead to lifestyle changes and healthy behavior modications, putting the power in the hands of the patient to lower his/her own risk for disease, making the patient the steward of his/her care and well-being.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, we the individual has to realize that outr health is in our hands.
ReplyDeleteI think that in the 21st century we have to recognize that healthcare rights should not be hampered by religious mechanisms.
A person has the right to be treated or not treated based on their own religious viewpoint but religious dogma has no place in setting up health care regulations.
As a country we need to decide what are our inalienable rights which I beleive will help to determine the path of education and awareness beginning with childhood education. We have to understand that as far as the "science of our bodies" goes, DNA/RNA & biology are life.
Stem cells as well as newborn blood staining and the storage of all DNA must be regulated on a Federal level and able to be used with consent for research.
Not trying to judge anyones faith but if we were willing to accept that our fate lies in God, then we would not need medicine at all. We would merely accept and not prevent or treat.