Water Cooler Conversations

Written by Pat Perry
President, ERC 

Last week two of my family members were in the hospital for surgery.  Fortunately they both did very well and are recovering nicely.  I spent quite a bit of time in the surgery waiting room last Wednesday and Friday.  The waiting area was very pleasant, roomy and comfortable.

On Friday, I had a few hunger pains mid afternoon and eyed a few vending machines.  I was hopeful that the selections would be healthy, as this hospital really promotes itself as one of the area’s foremost authorities on wellness and health education.  Well, you guessed it - the only food choice that appeared to be a healthy selection were bags of roasted peanuts. The rest of the selections ranged from Milky Way bars to Kit Kats. 

So I went for the peanut bag which was selection E7.  Thank goodness the bag did not get stuck on the way down the machine, as my other option was to get in the car and go down the street in search of a healthy snack as the hospital’s cafeteria was not open until late afternoon.  As I enjoyed my peanuts with bottled water I wondered if the folks at the hospital in charge of wellness and health education were aware of the irony of the vending machine selection in their waiting rooms.  I placed several calls to that area of the hospital with no return call as of yet.  I’m not planning on going back there any time soon (I hope) but wish the hospital can offer a few more options in their vending machines for the healthy conscious.  Imagine; they could have more than E7 being the only healthy letter/number combination.  Now that would be a winner.

Bingo!

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I had quite a number of comments (mostly verbal) from my blog last week regarding our local airport.  Here are two that seem to capture the spirit of discontent regarding the city’s International Airport:

1 - “If you fly out of concourse A it is like you have a terminal disease. The last time I flew out of there, I went to the Great Lakes Brewing Co. “bar”. Sorry out of Dortmunder, sorry out of Burning River, we do have Conway’s Irish Ale (decent) and the porter. Asked why they were out, the response was, “everyone here is too lazy to bring the supplies to concourse A. By the way, do you want a shot with that for $3?” No, I don’t want a shot, except maybe to the head.”

2 - “Adding to the ambience (not!) is the ugly Allegra Concrete plant looming over the Metroparks and spoiling the view, either from the air or along 480. The south edge of the airport is now a demilitarized zone, even outside the fence. The areas which had homes, now torn down, are all posted no trespassing. Is there anything else we can do to create a worst first impression?”

Written by Pat Perry
President, ERC 

Well the Presidential hopefuls are now in full stride promising us everything without any concrete plans on how they are going to produce these “miracles” once elected.  The one that gives me the biggest smile is their perspectives on health care.  The candidates blame rising healthcare costs on the usual suspects - hospitals, physicians, insurance carriers and “the system” in general.

No doubt many aspects contribute to the “witches brew” known as healthcare costs.  But let’s not forget the consumers.  We need to share part of the blame.  Overutilization of health insurance programs including prescriptions are the main drivers pushing affordable health care to new limits.  Have a pain…take a pill.  Feel down…take a pill.  Need a new heart…get it replaced or just fix the hoses.

The list goes on and on and on.

There are countless instances where prescriptions, surgery and doctor visits would be unnecessary if we took some responsibility for taking care of ourselves and knowing how to effectively utilize health insurance and the healthcare system.

Healthy lifestyle behaviors are just now beginning to get back into vogue in America - at least according to industry publications.  I hope so, as we need to start reversing many of the trends (we caused) leading to the upward spiraling healthcare costs.  Good diet, regular exercise and an annual checkup go a long way to prevent a lot of bad stuff happening to our bodies. 

Healthcare delivery and access in America is a complicated matter.  The Presidential candidates want us to believe they all have a cure.  Don’t let them kid you - they do not. 

There is need for systemic change to the system, and over time refinement will occur - at least that’s what history teaches us about capitalism, market forces and our country.  We can make things better and we will.

But instead of relying on some politician who is trying desperately to win you over before November, consider making your own promise to yourself that today is the start of your positive contribution to the long term health care solution.  Now that is a “claim” worth incurring.