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Why Our Health Matters

Almost everyone who has been treated by - or works within - the American healthcare system at least suspects that it is deeply dysfunctional and on the verge of collapse. Although politicians have weighed in on all sides, in Why Our Health Matters: A Vision of Medicine That Can Transform Our Future, Dr. Weil identifies the root of the problem. He shows precisely how American medicine, manipulated by profiteering drug companies and abandoned by government overseers, has lost its way. He then presents a solution that will not only make healthcare affordable, but will also dramatically improve the rapidly deteriorating health of the nation's citizens.

"We have a right to good healthcare," Dr. Weil states, "healthcare that is effective, accessible, and affordable." But our health is far from the best in the world, even though we spend more on it than the people of any other nation. The World Health Organization recently rated America 37th in health outcomes, on a par with Serbia. Meanwhile, our costs are more than twice as high per capita as those in other developed nations, leading medical care to become a leading cause of personal bankruptcy.

And it only promises to get worse. As Dr. Weil writes, "If predictions hold, a family of four, in the next seven to nine years, will spend around $64,000 annually on health care." Our healthcare system is on the verge of collapse and it has the potential to take our whole economy down.

The solution involves nothing less than the creation of a new culture of health and a complete transformation of medicine in this country, changes we can each start working on today. While it sounds daunting, the task is far from impossible. By embracing integrative medicine, says Dr. Weil, "I am certain we will improve health outcomes and bring costs down…I invite you to join me in making it happen." The book explores why:

• We are the only developed country without a national system of health care.
• Exorbitant medical costs have become a leading cause of personal bankruptcy.
• The health care industry generates enormous profits: The profit margin of three of our largest insurance companies in 2006 ranged from 26 percent to 29 percent.
• America has a glut of specialists and a serious deficiency of generalists due to skewed pay scales: Internists may make as much as $204,000, but a radiologist can earn as much as $911,000.
• Although new technology usually brings costs down, half of recent increases in the cost of health care are attributable to new technologies, including new drugs.
• Without lifestyle strategies that promote health, chronic, degenerative disease will dramatically increase as baby boomers reach old age.
• Few of the many pharmaceutical drugs on the market are actually safe and effective.
• Safe and effective alternatives to drugs do exist: we should look to them first for managing the most common health problems.
• We must change the education and training of all health professionals if we are going to solve the health care crisis.
• Our long-term goal must be to shift our health care efforts from disease intervention to disease prevention and health promotion.

By Brad Lemley
DrWeil.com News

More information:
A Health Care Call to Action, By Andrew Weil, M.D.
Visit the website: Why Our Health Matters for more information.