Introduction
During the last several years, I got a chance to observe and listen to various speeches about health care, its quality, patients’ needs, the level of services, and outcomes that were or were not achieved. I noticed multiple comparisons and evaluations; some of them contradicted by standpoints, while several approaches raised my interest.
Listening today to Cohen’s speech, introduced in 2012, I could not help but wonder how fast and unpredictable healthcare progress could be. That senior vice president at Quest Diagnostics wondered why patients could not behave like consumers and pay much attention to factors like price, quality, and desire when they choose a physician (Cohen, 2012). In comparison, the same measurements have already gained a new meaning nowadays. After viewing Cohen’s talk about consumerism in health care, I want to focus on how patients become better consumers, specifically in terms of price, quality, and desire.
Personal Reactions to the TED Talk
To tell the truth, I have different feelings about viewing the TED talk. On the one hand, I agree with Cohen (2012), who says that the US consumer-driven healthcare system does not work well because of wrong or poor interpretations of price, quality, and desire. The speaker shares several good examples of how the same $100 may be associated with different diagnoses and treatment plans (Cohen, 2012). His father’s surgical experience proves that some people misjudge the quality of care and services offered by healthcare providers (Cohen, 2012).
Finally, even the desire of people to maintain their well-being is not as high as the intention to look nice and invest in cosmetic interventions. In most cases, these examples are true but distressing, as people fail to prioritize their health.
The Shift Toward Consumer Behavior in Modern Patients
On the other hand, considering that Cohen’s speech is about ten years old, I disagree with the speaker. Of course, some transformations and changes in how people define health care cannot be ignored. For example, many individuals prefer to surf the Internet and gather as much information as possible to ensure they are ready for their meetings with healthcare providers. They read about what services to expect, what price to pay, and what expectations to develop.
Today, price and quality measures have gained a specific meaning due to the possibility of getting the best. Another confusing point was the lack of attention to health disparities, social status, and available opportunities. Cohen misses that not all Americans can get help due to high prices, regardless of their desire. Thus, consumerism in modern health care should be determined by price, quality, and desire, but improved in terms of finances, insurance, and access.
Conclusion
This speech helped me understand how the healthcare system worked several decades ago, and it is no different today. It is wrong to make healthy choices based on price, quality, and desire alone. Today, many factors might affect services, and the patient’s task is to analyze and observe first. Health care has its price, and most people are ready to pay it, but they do not want to do it right now.
Reference
Cohen, J. (2012). Why don’t patients behave like consumers? [Video]. TEDMED. Web.