A Positive Concept For The New Medical Centers
 

Since it is hoped that the new medical centers will represent the very best in medical care, it may offer a unique opportunity to reward those who have demonstrated personal responsibility in taking care of their own health. This is what's needed to make it a true partnership between medical care and (personal) self-care.

Like anything else in life, opportunities are often limited. To get into college, you must apply and meet requirements. To get a job, you must apply. There won't be room for everyone in the new medical centers, so why not use it as a unique opportunity to REWARD those who can demonstrate a certain level of personal responsibility in their own healthcare.

Do you like this concept? If so, what should the requirements be?

:wave:

Ah personal responsibility.....not a popular concept in today's culture. Everything seems to always be someone else fault. Someone else put the temptation in my way....temptation to eat too much. drink too much and exercise too little. It takes too much money or time to cook and eat well. Not to speak of the personal rights and that no one should be allowed to tell me how I should live my life or what things I should do to keep myself safe and healthy. Not sure how to make one take responsibility for there choices in life. What I might consider prudent someone else would consider an intrusion on their personal rights and visa versa.

Suzanne

WHAT A STATEMENT ..... SHEEEEEEEEEESH !!!!!!!! :22yikes:

You'd only have access to the facility if you don't need it???

How are you going to measure "personal responsilbility"! It can be measured in many different ways and what about genetics? I get what you 're saying and I sorta like the idea, but just don't see it happening, to many variables.

????
 

Nooooooooooooooooooooo? Are you from the New Health Care take a pain pill then Die Plan? I work out an try to not over indulge but that sounds harsh to me. And I'm not from the Kissie Love How can I make your Day Have a Cookie Clan either.

Hmmm, let's see. How about:

• Don't drink or smoke.
• Exercise at least 60 minutes every day. Wait, is that responsible enough? Wouldn't it be a bit irresponsible not to include cardio for heart, muscle building to reduce BMI and stretching for flexibility?
• Must weigh no more or less than "normal range" for your age and sex.
• Must have a "good" or better BMI regardless of weight
• Must not allow your skin to be exposed to the sun for more than, what, 30 minutes a day? An hour would be irresponsible, right?
• Must get at least 90 percent of the Daily Recommended Allowance of all nutrients that have recommended daily allowances. It might be irresponsible to not get all our nutrients
• Must not eat sugar (except that contained in whole fruit)
• White bread? Fergit about it. You're out!

Is this what you have in mind? Have I left anything out?

I don't think it's about personal responsibility. Rather I think it will be about personal financial ability to pay up front in order to buy into the program. How else would these Marcus Welby-like doctors be able to receive the generous salaries mentioned in the Daily Sun?

Exactly! And it won't be us who decides who gets in or not, so really, this is probably a moot post! :)

Yep! :agree:

A question abou the concept
 

Since I have not seen it mentioned in the newspaper or, in TOTV threads, I am wondering if this concept is employed elsewhere, if a patient who establishes a relationship with one of these Marcus Welby-like physicians, is hospitalized, does the same doctor still see the patient in hospital, re-hab facility, nursing home? Or is patient care turned over to hospitalist in addition to specialist needed for treatment?

That's right, it's not. But I can dream, can't I?

I heard that Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO's) receive something like $700. per month to take care of each person. That's $8,400 per year. It may be more than that today. If the Villages plan is not an HMO, I would think they need to make up that money in some other way. So perhaps it may be as you suggest. Only time will tell.

Note: I was told that the new centers would serve less patients per hour but would make up for it, financially, by providing less duplication (i.e., less testing and other proceedures). That makes sense for an HMO. If you get X amount of Medicare money per month (per person), the less testing you do, the more money you get to keep. Otherwise, if the centers are not HMOs, I don't see how they can make any money by providing less testing.

I agree that it could be measured in many different ways. But I would keep it simple. Take a measure of body fat percentage: The NIH says a healthy body fat percentage for men is 13 to 17 percent. But the average male has a body fat percentage of 17 to 19 percent.

The ideal for women is 20 to 21%. But the actual average, for U.S. women, is22 to 25%.

There are special scales that one can step up on to get a reading of their body fat percentage. Make the upper limit 17% for men and 21% for women. It's quick and easy and will be a great service because a lot of people don't know what their percentage is. If they don't pass the test, they could always go back and try again at 3 to 6 month intervals.

Athletes often come in at a lower percentage. Mine, the last time I checked, was 11%. That's not dangerous for a man. Dangerous would be between 3 and 6%.

OK, that would be a starting place. There are many people who would be shocked at their percentage of body fat. That is a pretty good indication of state of health.

These scales don't actually measure body fat. They run an electrical current through the body, calculate the electrical impedance (since electricity conducts better through water and tissue than fat), then, plugging the person's height and weight into a formula, make a calculation/ average "guestimate" of body fat.

I have read conflicting accounts of their accuracy.