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
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Health Care: Less Blame and More Engagement
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 > Health Care: Less Blame and More Engagement
Public Health

Health Care: Less Blame and More Engagement

Barbara Ficarra
Barbara Ficarra
Share
5 Min Read
SHARE

 

[This is a follow-up post to Social Media:  3 Notable Quotes in the Social Health Space.]

Health care happens before you visit with your doctor, nurse practitioner or other health care provider. Health care is about you. You have the choice to be an empowered, engaged and proactive consumer, and you have the choice to take action to live a healthier life.  It’s important to partner with your doctor and other health care providers to meet your health goals.

 

More Read

Q and A, Part Two: Addressing an Enormous Public Health Problem with a Simple Technology Solution
Are You Providing Value to Patients?
HIMSS Privacy and Security Forum: Managing Social Media While Protecting Privacy and Security
Does Disclosure Work?
Massachusetts Wins the Prize for Most Expensive Healthcare

[This is a follow-up post to Social Media:  3 Notable Quotes in the Social Health Space.]

Health care happens before you visit with your doctor, nurse practitioner or other health care provider. Health care is about you. You have the choice to be an empowered, engaged and proactive consumer, and you have the choice to take action to live a healthier life.  It’s important to partner with your doctor and other health care providers to meet your health goals.

A recent post included a proactive quote by Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer for the American Cancer Society, and author of “How We Do Harm: A Doctor Breaks Ranks About Being Sick In America,” from an interview by The New York Times Well blogger and author, Tara Parker-Pope.

“…I blame patients, I blame doctors, I blame hospitals, I blame drug companies, I blame insurance companies. Our health care system is messed up because the system is designed to fail, and everybody is responsible for health care failing as it is now.” – Dr. Otis Brawley

Blaming isn’t the answer

Health care is fragmented, but placing blame isn’t the answer.  I believe a contributing factor is the separation of health care silos. It’s easy to place blame, but that’s not going to help foster collaboration, and a collaborative culture is what is needed.

Deanna Attai, MD, breast surgeon, shares her thoughts regarding Dr. Brawley’s remarks:

“There is no question that we have problems with our healthcare system, from all sides. However instead of blaming and pointing fingers, to me this reinforces the need for all to be at the table and talk to each other. This applies in the care of the individual patient as well as on a larger scale in terms of setting policies. It is only with open dialogue and dismantling of the silos that we can expect to have true partnerships with one common goal – effective disease prevention and treatment.”

However, John La Puma, MD, ChefMD, disagrees.  Sharing his thoughts in an email to me, and with his permission to publish, he writes:

“Health care silos are silos for a reason: they don’t recognize common interests, and tend to take positions which advance the causes of shareholders and stakeholders.  I think it’s particularly difficult to blame patients for wanting more care:  America, in the 20th century latter half has been about bigger, better, more.  One solution is the community-based education one, the DIY one which includes Doing It Together as well. Young people already get this. They are already understanding more about interconnection, ecology, food source and water source, and the interrelationship between food, water, body, mind and spirit than I did when I was in college and medical school. I think that, along with technology advances will help to provide a system that is less based on blame and more on interconnection.”

Dr. La Puma’s points are well taken and I agree with him that technology will promote interconnection.  We need to engage with patients and consumers and technology needs to be part of the conversation in and out of the doctor’s office.  From telemedicine to health apps, to gaming and texting; all for a healthier life.

Your turn

What steps are needed to help fix health care?  Please share your insightful thoughts in the comment section below.

As always thank you for your valuable time.

TAGGED:patient engagement
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

contamination
Batch Failures And The Hidden Costs Of Contamination
Health Infographics
October 21, 2025
Medication Management For Seniors
Simplifying Medication Management For Seniors
Infographics Senior Care
October 21, 2025
Guide To Pursuing a Career in Nursing as a Foreigner in the USA
Collaboration Is the Prescription for Better Patient Care
Health
October 20, 2025
Epidemiological Health Benefits
Personal and Epidemiological Health Benefits of Blood Pressure Management
Health
October 13, 2025

You Might also Like

Image
Medical EducationMedical EthicsPublic Health

The Challenges of Treating Homeless Patients

May 21, 2013
shingles vaccine and heart attacks, stroke
CardiologyPublic HealthSpecialtiesWellness

Could the Shingles Vaccine Prevent Heart Attack and Stroke Later in Life?

January 4, 2014
Global HealthcarePublic Health

How Ebola Spreads, and the Response from Public Health Officials

April 6, 2015
hospital money 300
BusinesseHealthFinanceHealth ReformHospital AdministrationMedical RecordsPolicy & LawPublic Health

Some Hospitals, Physicians Dropping Out of Government EHR Program

March 17, 2014
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?