By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    An Expert’s Guide To Building and Improving Endurance
    June 30, 2022
    medical assistants
    What Do Medical Assistants Do On a Day to Day Basis?
    April 5, 2022
    superfoods to help with prostate health
    10 Healthy Foods That Can Help Protect Your Prostate
    August 29, 2022
    Latest News
    5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
    August 3, 2025
    Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
    July 20, 2025
    How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
    July 17, 2025
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    healthcare cost crisis
    What If the Health Care Cost Crisis Solves Itself?
    May 11, 2013
    Do You Need Life Insurance? What Does It Cover?
    December 23, 2022
    HIE metal plans
    The Four “Metal Plans” of Health Insurance Exchanges
    May 28, 2013
    Latest News
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
    How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
    July 17, 2025
    How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
    July 17, 2025
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Did We Learn the Secret to Fixing Healthcare in Kindergarten?
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Public Health > Did We Learn the Secret to Fixing Healthcare in Kindergarten?
BusinessPublic Health

Did We Learn the Secret to Fixing Healthcare in Kindergarten?

michaeldermer
michaeldermer
Share
4 Min Read
healthcare incentives
SHARE
 
 

healthcare incentivesDo you remember at age five sitting anxiously at your desk waiting for the teacher to pass back that math or grammar test you took the week before?

 
 

healthcare incentivesDo you remember at age five sitting anxiously at your desk waiting for the teacher to pass back that math or grammar test you took the week before? During those anxious moments, your eyes lit up and joy coursed through you when you saw your test come back with three gold stars on the top. All the hard work, the foregoing of cartoons, the hours not playing with Fido and the missed opportunities to show off your kickball skills to study became worth it when you were rewarded with those gold stars. This is the basis of the fix to the healthcare system.

We have grown up since those simple days but we should not ignore this valuable lesson from kindergarten.  Of course, we should study and do well in school at a young age because Mom and Dad said so and it will lead to a life of growth, fulfillment and prosperity. But convincing a five year old to study instead of doing all the things a five year old loves to do is a tough sell. It’s like getting a kid to eat their vegetables. We all know the most useful tool is the promise of a sumptuous dessert at the end of the meal. Here’s a recent study in which rewarding kids helped them eat vegetables.

It turns out that those five-year-olds are onto something and may hold the key to fixing the healthcare system.  What if we rewarded consumers with incentives for healthy behavior? Just like the five-year-old that gives up his daily vices to study in return for the gold stars, or who braves the broccoli and brussel sprouts in exchange for an ice cream sundae, we can apply the same system to adults in order to get them to engage in healthy behaviors.  Imagine, going for a colonoscopy and buying a new pair of sneakers with the rewards, or getting a mammogram and buying that handbag that you have wanted, or quitting smoking and being able to put aside an extra chunk of money for the college fund as a result.  This is why rewards work, because human behavior is determined by motivation and very often external rewards that speak to “what’s in it for me?”

More Read

Best ways to increase patients for doctors
How To Increase Patients? Think Like A Patient (5 Quick Ideas)
Monitoring to Change Behavior: Does It Work?
Applications, Global Markets in Tissue Engineering and Cell Therapy
Nurse Staffing and Care Quality
Terminating the Doctor-Patient Relationship …

Kindergarten teaches many life lessons. Perhaps if our kindergarten tests on verbs and nouns were replaced with tests on deductibles and co-pays, our healthcare system would be a lot healthier. But for now, if we can look back on those days when life was simple and apply a few of the principles that gave us the foundation of productive behavior, then we can jump start a fool-proof solution to the healthcare crisis.

kindergarten / shutterstock

TAGGED:health behaviorhealth incentives
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

technology in medical research
The Tools Helping Medical Researchers See the Full Picture
News Technology
August 3, 2025
5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
Health
July 31, 2025
holistic dental
Holistic Dentist Services Are Natural and Safe
Dental health Specialties
July 28, 2025
botox certification
Help Improve People’s Skin Health Via Botox Certification
Skin Specialties
July 22, 2025

You Might also Like

You might be covered, even if your doctor sends you a bill

August 5, 2015

How Healthwise Promotes Information Therapy – Video

November 1, 2011

Physicians Are Your Top Brand Ambassadors!

February 13, 2015
microscope
BusinessTechnology

Irony and the Church of Big Data

May 13, 2015
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?