The health care system in this county is in crisis. Annually 90,000 people die of medical errors and another 1.5 million people are harmed by medication errors. These figures are according to the Institute of Medical reports. These figures don't even begin to cover the rude, unethical, negligent behaviors that are never reported and only result in emotional trauma.

The medical community is suffering from the same lack of common courtesy that we are seeing in most service businesses. Why has it become acceptable to be impolite and rude just because you are overworked? Why do physicians have to see a set number of patients an hour or a day no matter what their problems or need to talk with this person they have hired to care for them? Why do health care agencies keep people who provide inferior care and worse service? Money is a lousy answer to these questions. But still it seems to be the only answer. After all people who work in health care are dedicated to caring for others and feel this is a calling, right?

Wrong, the health care industry has been infected with those who work for money and seem to care little for the art of caring for others. It's just a job. The nurses have large loads of patients that they are responsible for but in reality they are responsible for the paperwork not the care. As a patient you may see a registered nurse once a shift if your lucky. The rest of your care of often delegated to less trained aides. Licensed Vocational or Practical nurses often are medication passers and have little time to do much, but keep up with the heavy load of medications given in the hospital. There is so much paperwork and documentation that must be done in health care that it is hard for those that truly care about the patients, physical and emotional state are often driven out of positions.

Health care services need to take some lessons from hotel management. If you aren't pleasant, offer to help and follow through you lose customers. Hospitals have for a long time felt that they are a service that is in demand, so they can act as they like they will never run out of clients. As consumers become more educated and demand higher quality care, hospitals will find themselves in more litigious positions. Physicians are being taught in med schools that the more pleasant they are to patients the fewer law suites they will encounter. Patient's don't sue people who are nice to them.

Consumers of health care must demand respectful, quality care. They must learn to ask questions until they understand the answers. They must feel empowered to fire the doctors that don't meet their needs. Patients should be the center of the health care team, not the after thought that tests are run on. We must stand up for ourselves and our loved ones during the crisis in health care.

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Learn more about this author, Naomi Kenny.
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