I Have a Dream...

When I think about the complexity of the healthcare system, I am amazed that it functions as well as it does. I
don't pretend to have knowledge of all the intricacies of financing and staffing involved in putting together a model that works. I do know that standing behind the pharmacy counter day in and day out has allowed me to observe some of the things that don't work.

Patient Advocacy is a step in the right direction. I researched this concept as a possible alternative to pharmacy practice, and found out that there are numerous programs and organizations dedicated to this idea of helping the patient navigate the healthcare system. Most people could use some help coordinating their healthcare. Usually this task falls to an over-burdened family member, a visiting nurse, or an independent caregiver hired to either stay with or look after a family member that needs help. By default, this patient representative often has to take on way more than just caring for the person in their home, since problems arise ''on the fly'' and cannot be predicted. If the caregiver is worth their salt, they end up trying to resolve issues that have nothing to do with what they were hired to do in the first place.The whole goal of healthcare is for people to be as happy and functional as they can be. The official term for day to day functionality is ''activities of daily living'' or ADL.

Think about basic things people want and need:

1. A grocery store or market
2. A pharmacy with over the counter products and sundry items
3. A clinic with medical staff, an optometrist, and a dentist
4. A restaurant or diner
5. Transportation
6. Exercise/recreation facilities
7. Other people

What if we could create complexes that contained all these amenities, sort of like little small towns, with everything within walking distance or at least a short drive away? Sometimes people choose where they want to live based on the fact that an area meets most of their basic needs. I have thought of retiring to a condo or villaminium where I can walk or bicycle to the places I want to go. In my dream world, I also see this place as being close to cultural centers and entertainment venues, as well as having a nice library, and a fitness center with state of the art exercise equipment and an olympic size swimming pool.

Ideally, there would be the option of assisted living, and eventual skilled nursing facilities if needed.

Sometimes churches build these types of complexes for their members, and these can work well, because social and spiritual networks are maintained, and the church community can assist the patient with transportation and other needs that arise that are not specifically handled by the facility itself .

Unfortunately, when I get around to the question of who would build and maintain such a mini-town, I keep envisioning the creepy Mr. Potter in the movie, "It's a Wonderful Life''. Potterville was a nasty little town, owned by a nasty little man. Big Brother would always be watching and controlling it's citizens.

So, I defer to city planners or social planners or whoever else might be qualified to put this idea into practice.

 ''Ýou may say I'm a dreamer...but I'm not the only one...''.

BP