I wanted to take the time to elaborate on one of my core beliefs as a healthcare practitioner. Of course this is something that often comes up in conversation during our PT sessions so it’s no secret. I even shared a personal experience last week on the KFix PT instagram story that reinforced my feelings about the topic. But I decided it would be helpful to write my thoughts out more clearly and share them with the masses. So here goes…
It is my belief that the consumer (you) should be the sole determining body of who you see for your own healthcare. If patient's are to have true medical autonomy, that decision-making process starts with choosing your preferred healthcare provider. Just as you can choose which mechanic fixes your car, what grocery store supplies your food, and where you shop for your clothes - YOU should be able to choose the clinician being put in charge of YOUR health. But most of the healthcare industry today is making this almost impossible…
The Healthcare Industry continues to go further away from keeping the consumer at the center of focus. Patient's are being coerced to only seek a limited list of providers based on their insurance company's recommendation versus being able to seek out their preferred provider. Providers are being forced to cower to the Insurance Companies and who continue to lower the rate of reimbursement for medical services. Those companies turn it back onto the consumer and continue to raise premiums and deductibles while simultaneously lowering the quality of care that will be covered…
So you, the consumer, are paying money to a company that is telling you who to see regardless of your preference and specific needs. Then they are placing harder conditions on the medical provider, forcing them to choose between ethics and their finances. It is because of this that your wait time at most offices is disrespectfully long, your visit time is disproportionately short, and you barely, if ever, seen the actual doctor you 'chose'. We can't be surprised that the quality of care is so poor when this is how most providers are being pressured to treat: higher volume + less one-on-one interaction…
This dysfunctional dynamic is why healthcare is an out-of-control, money-eating machine. It's hard to play their game and change it from the inside. This is why many providers like myself have decided to forsake the traditional healthcare model, leave the "safety" of insurance-based referrals, and try and change healthcare in the best way we can - by treating patients the right way! I believe that you deserve the right to choose who you see for your healthcare and base it on whatever qualifications you deem worthy. And I will keep doing my part to educate and lead by example by putting my patients first!
Dr. Kayla Winter, PT, DPT
KFix Physical Therapy
