In the United States, it is possible to observe the realization of the disease management system, or a sick care system, in contrast to a health care system. The reason for this statement is that all the procedures and policies adopted in the healthcare system are oriented toward managing or treating diseases rather than promoting citizens’ health (Fries, 2020). This idea was actively discussed in Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare, a documentary of 2012.
The US system of providing care services has all the features of a disease or sickness management system. According to the experts presented in the documentary, the current healthcare system gains profits only from addressing sicknesses. For instance, according to Dr. Leslie Cho, it is possible to receive only $15 if she spends much time assisting a patient and providing care. This sum is in comparison to receiving $1,500 for a five-minute interaction with a patient to determine the necessity of costly surgery (“Escape fire,” 2012). As a result, the focus of the system is discussed to be on making money and generating profits through addressing diseases, but not preventing them.
The problem of the current US healthcare system is that preventative medicine is not supported and developed in the country because of its limited advantage for generating financial gains. Therefore, the current system cannot be discussed as patient-centered to the full extent. If more attention is paid not to improving citizens’ general health but to the revenues of healthcare institutions, it is possible to speak about a sick care system. In this situation, the shift to a new kind of health care system is necessary to guarantee positive health outcomes for Americans.
References
Escape fire: The fight to rescue American healthcare. (2012). Tubi. Web.
Fries, C. J. (2020). Healing health care: From sick care towards salutogenic healing systems.Social Theory & Health, 18(1), 16-32. Web.