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
    benefits of using protein powder to build muscles
    Protein Powder for Muscle Mass: Everything You Need to Know
    December 12, 2021
    changes brought on by blockchain in healthcare
    Technology In The Healthcare Industry
    March 28, 2022
    What Does Core Body Temperature Say About Health?
    August 17, 2022
    Latest News
    7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
    August 20, 2025
    Hospital Pest Control and the Fight Against Superbugs
    August 20, 2025
    Hygiene Beyond The Clinic: Attention To Overlooked Non-Clinical Spaces
    August 13, 2025
    5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
    August 3, 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
    Collaborating for Population Health Management Strategy
    December 30, 2012
    ACO
    What Are the Current Trends in Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs)?
    April 26, 2013
    patient engagement
    How to Engage Patients: Start with Strategic Planning
    August 18, 2013
    Latest News
    How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
    August 22, 2025
    How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
    August 22, 2025
    How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
    August 22, 2025
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: How Reframing a Problem Can Help Fix HealthCare: Patient Self-Management
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 > How Reframing a Problem Can Help Fix HealthCare: Patient Self-Management
Public Health

How Reframing a Problem Can Help Fix HealthCare: Patient Self-Management

malpani
malpani
Share
6 Min Read
SHARE

Most patients feel that the biggest problem with health care today is that there are just not enough good doctors. They feel that the few good doctors in their town are extremely busy and don’t have enough time for them. Most good doctors offer appointments after 2 to 3 weeks – and then when they finally do see you , they usually make you wait for 2 to 3 hours and usually talk to for just about 5 to 6 minutes. This lack of communication creates a lot of angst and disharmony amongst patients who feel that they are not getting the best possible medical care.

Most patients feel that the biggest problem with health care today is that there are just not enough good doctors. They feel that the few good doctors in their town are extremely busy and don’t have enough time for them. Most good doctors offer appointments after 2 to 3 weeks – and then when they finally do see you , they usually make you wait for 2 to 3 hours and usually talk to for just about 5 to 6 minutes. This lack of communication creates a lot of angst and disharmony amongst patients who feel that they are not getting the best possible medical care.

Patients feel trapped and helpless because they feel that it’s the doctor who has all the specialised medical knowledge and skills and tools in order to help them to get better ; and that if there just aren’t enough good doctors, what can they as poor patients do? This is why they will often use contacts in order to get an appointment with the person who is considered to be the best doctor in town, so that they can have access to his special skills.

Part of the problem with this approach of course is that there’s very little which doctors themselves can do to fix the problem. Busy doctors just keep on getting busier and busier and since they have a limited amount of time and energy in a day there’s no way they can spend more time with each patient even if they would like to be able to do so. Even worse the tragedy gets compounded because equally efficient doctors don’t have enough patients to see, as a result of which their skills get underutilized and wasted , causing a lot of frustration and unhappiness for everyone within the system.

More Read

PCP visits too short
Why Do I Only Get 10 Minutes with My Doctor?
New CMS Chief Confirmed by Senate
A Look at Oncology Medication Management
Schumer’s Completely Unhelpful Approach to Curbing Drug Shortages
Person-Centered HealthCare: NexJ Combines Information Technology and Social Media to Engage Patients

The government & medical authorities also seem to be equally helpless because the standard response is “If there aren’t enough doctors , what we need to do is open new medical colleges and creates new doctors , in order to improve the doctor-patient ratio. “ Unfortunately, this is not likely to help because most patients will flock to just the top one or two percent of doctors , as a result of which the problem just continues to perpetuate itself.

I think the key lies in reframing the problem. It’s not a shortage of doctors which is the problem – it’s the fact that patients feel powerless and helpless and do not realize how much they can do to help themselves, which is the real problem. We’ll never be able to create enough doctors – we all know that. However, what we can do is create lots of expert patients ! Patients can learn to take better care of themselves , so that they are no longer passively dependent on their doctors. This is a very effective solution which will help to make sure that medical care gets more evenly distributed . Patients empowered with information can better make use of whatever medical resources are available to them .

It’s not the large number of patients which is the problem , but rather the fact that patients feel that they cannot do anything for themselves without the help of medical assistance from their doctors . We need to remember that patients are the largest untapped healthcare resource and we need to reinforce their ability to take care of themselves. Lots of health problems are self-limited and get better on their own ; while others are chronic problems for which the patient needs to institute lifestyle changes for himself . Very few problems are dramatic or urgent , which require emergency attention from a doctor. This approach will not make doctors obsolete or redundant – it’ll just ensure that we will be able to make better use of the limited resources we have available.

TAGGED:patient self-management
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

engineer fitting prosthetic arm
How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
Health care
August 20, 2025
a woman explaining the document
How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
Public Health
August 20, 2025
physiotherapist at work
How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
Health care
August 20, 2025
Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs
7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
Health News
August 20, 2025

You Might also Like

World Obesity on the Rise

August 28, 2011

Due Diligence in Community Health Screening

June 10, 2012
healthcare reform
BusinessHealth ReformNewsPolicy & LawPublic Health

Stop the Pilot Programs

March 21, 2013
Health ReformMedical EducationMedical InnovationsMobile HealthNewsPublic HealthTechnologyWellness

Medical Advances Aid Fight Against Pollution-Caused Skin Conditions

January 21, 2018
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?