More Healthcare

On the radio this morning a program interviewed doctors about rising patient awareness of health issues. In the past ten years or so, drug commercials informing patients/customers directly on new drugs + the internet + encouragement of individuals to take a bigger role in the own health welfare has yielded more knowledgeable patients.

But there is a flip side to it - patients often insist on treatments viewed as unnecessary by their doctor. (Larry insisting on getting a bandage on his burn last night in Curb Your Enthusiasm comes to mind). In fact, the doctors argued that 20% of procedures and cost are associated with unnecessary treatment. Now...it must be understood, these aren't totally frivolous treatments, but sort of 95/5 type of questions, where a reasonable doctor would say - look, you don't really need this back surgery and there's no guarantee it will help. But patients insist or will leave and go to a doctor who will do it. So there become all sorts of perverse incentives for doctors to do treatments that are probably wasteful.

I'm glad we're having this healthcare debate, but the more I read about it, there are just no good options.