Liberating Consumer Health Information

Healthcare reform is impossible without consumer empowerment. And one of the best ways to empower consumers is to give them information. Unfortunately the health care industry is unique in the extent to which consumers are prevented from getting access to and control of  their own health information. I have even heard some people say that giving consumers access to their health information could result in life threatening situations. Imagine that — access to information is now considered deadly. The entrenched model where employers determine which health plan is available to you, and insurance companies determine which doctors you can see and what procedures are paid for, and government and the insurance industry administer health care prices has combined to create a status-quo of doctor knows best. But its time for the consumer to demand access to and control over his or her health information.

We would never accept  our financial information being controlled by banks and brokerages today. We demand access to that information to help us make better financial decisions when investing or saving our money. We need access to our own health information for the same reason — to help us make better decisions about our own health.  It’s time that we  liberate our health information and become partners in managing and keeping track of  our own information. This will help us discard our role as passive health care consumers and become the agents of change that can truly reform the health care system in a way that benefits all of us.

Share

Hide Sites