Reader comments
Engaging patients in health care urged

Why aren't these people looking at excessive health care costs? They have a one track mind, insurance. What good is a primary health care physcisian? They only refer you to specialist, one after another, and the list never ends. Medicine and doctors are too specialized and too much interference between them. They all have different opions of your illness and none of them diagnose your ills. They have turned over their decision making and knowledge to little one's and zero's, with probabilities and percentages in numbers added. Having too many doctors and specialist is like having too many cooks in the kitchen, nothing gets done and every thing is a flop. Instead of quick medical diagnosis we end up with years of testing and DNA sampling to get any diagnosis. Too many toys spoil the child and it has become a part of medical treatment. Then we now have to deal with the IHC's and HMO's and insurance to get their approval for any and all testing and medical procedures. America's medical profession is in a vicious circle of indecisions and confusion not sure of their jobs as doctors. Patients are suffering for years waiting on the one's and zero's.

The health care and health insurance industries are huge and carry unbelievable political clout. Governor Huntsman and the Utah State Legislature will have to show tremendous courage to implement significant change in how these industries conduct business. I fear we are seeing industry leaders doing their best to advance changes that only nibble at the edge of the key issues while delaying the advancement of significant change. If they continue to do so, I urge the Legislature to discount their input and move forward without them. The task force doesn't have time to spend on self serving proposals that fail to significantly lower the cost of health care services and health insurance. The issue is amazingly complex, but I would rather see bold steps that have to be fine tuned at a later date than baby steps that go nowhere in a hurry.

Weekly, I see very obese people that are taking ten to fifteen pills a day for diabetes, HTN, asthma, reflux, water retention, etc. I have wondered over and over again why their doctors do not address these issues in a more holistic way. The doctors take the easy way out by ordering more and more pills. It is very depressing to see. I think if people had an insentive to lose weight, exercise,and eat responsibly they would do so. Even if a small percentage were helped, at least it is a beginning. Doctors need to be trained on how to help people instead of being pill pushers. In their defense, they are very busy in their offices and "training" people how to become healthy is time consuming. Maybe they could have an additional NP or PA that was on sight for just that purpose. I think it is a marvelous idea to encourage patients to be responsible for their health. Incentive programs from our insurance companies would be a great idea. Lets get American people back to being healthy by helping themselves. Many are too lazy, but a great number would be willing to participate. Let's try!