5 Things We Need To Do To Improve The US Healthcare System
Authority Magazine recently conducted a wide-ranging interview with Dr. Viral Patel, the Founder and CEO of Radish Health. In his extensive dialogue with Authority Magazine’s Jake Frankel, Dr. Patel touches on everything from the exciting movement we’re seeing towards value-based care, the importance of speed in connecting doctors and patients, the frustrations of bureaucracy, today’s growing physician shortage, and the enabling power of technology.
In one particularly thought-provoking passage Dr. Patel speaks with passion about his belief in the need to rebuild doctor-patient relationships of the sort that long existed among communities of people who live with, know, and trust each other:
How would you define an “excellent healthcare provider”?
When I think of what defines an excellent healthcare provider, the family doctor comes to mind. I started thinking of the “family doctor” when I realized that I was that doctor for my family members. I was who they called when a symptom popped up, despite them all having their own doctors, because I knew their history, was easily accessible and they trusted me. It’s these factors that make for an excellent healthcare provider.
The family doctor is a physician who has a relationship with you. This doctor not only knows your medical history but also is deeply familiar with your family history and your life outside of the doctor’s office. This professional bases care decisions not just on evidence-based practices, but also on your personal needs and preferences. The key to making healthcare more personalized and affordable will be to move back toward the traditional family doctor model in mind–a model that continues to exist in some rural healthcare environments.
People trust their physicians; they don’t trust health systems or healthcare companies. In a world of big data artificial intelligence, and automation, we’ve accelerated tech-enabled care, but we’ve done so at the loss of a personal relationship people have had with their physicians.
Dive deep into Authority Magazine’s entire interview with Dr. Viral Patel here .