Hello and welcome to Careviser by Marie Loubiere. Years of research summarized in 5-minute emails. Spot emerging opportunities in healthcare.
Dear readers,
Some of you have asked why you haven’t received any recent Careviser episodes.
I had a ski accident at the beginning of the year. Nothing major but it took a while to recover. For this first episode of 2022 (and the 31st episode in total) of careviser, I’ll differ from the usual format and share a few insights & wishes, based on my very own recent experience as a patient. At the end of the day, being in healthcare is about helping patients and that’s what I want to focus on today.
🆓 When I got to the ER, I could not move either of my hands. I told the ER nurse, she could grab my insurance card in my coat. She did not do it. So I was not charged for any of the care I was given => This obviously is an extreme example. In general, I am bullish on healthcare in Europe and even more on France, my home country. Thanks to statutory health systems in Europe, patients get most of their healthcare expenses covered. Medical providers face almost no patient acquisition cost, meaning there are untapped opportunities to build large aggregators of providers (obviously when the nurse still bothers to do the billing :)).
💪 We need more patient empowerment tools. From the lack of basic empathy or explanation given to me on the bone injuries I had (ER doctor burst out laughing when she received my X-rays imaging: “that’s a full strike Ma’am”), patients still feel powerless and humiliated. No one asked if my injury had really been caused by an accident (hello domestic violence detection !). We need NPS scores and verified reviews. And some providers could use empathy training. That’s something that younger doctors aspire to as well. No one wants to work somewhere where they feel patients are being disrespected, or where they don’t have time to give basic explanations to them. There is a worldwide shortage of providers. Medical practices /hospitals can build a strong employer brand by promoting a respectful work environment. Patients who are empowered are more active in their recovery which is good for outcomes too.
📉 The surgeon I met days after the accident strongly disagreed with the treatment performed by the ER department. It was too late. Quality of care still varies tremendously between providers/ hospitals/ clinics and as a patient, there is no transparency on outcomes between facilities. Statutory insurers and medical boards don’t have a clue either. Back to the need for value-based healthcare (very original insight I know).
🦠 Covid-19 restrictions have made hospitals inhumane. As I waited for hours alone in the ER, unable to use my hands, I thought of my friends who gave birth with a mask on without their partner. We need to find a better balance between mental health and infection risk.
💊 The opioid crisis has bright days ahead. I was prescribed opioids to kill the pain and no one (nurse, ER doctor, GP, physical therapist, surgeon…) warned me that they are addictive.
🚕 As I spent the first night screaming in pain because all pharmacies were closed, I’m still waiting for someone to build the Deliveroo of Pharmacies in Europe. I know there are regulatory roadblocks, but someone’s got to figure it out.
🤳 There is only so much you can do with voice commands/ dictation on iPhones and Macbooks. We need better software for physically impaired people.
⚾ PT is amazing but its efficiency could be boosted 10x with seamless software from physical therapy sessions to at home-training. Existing PT mobile apps are too focused on chronic pain, and not enough on trauma recovery.
👯 Being injured is a lonely ride. Every time I met someone with a similar injury at the PT practice, I was super excited to share my experience and listen to them. Patient communities are awesome and can shorten time to recovery with concrete tips. Where is the app connecting you to patients in your area? I’d pay for it.
That’s a wrap for today! Don’t hesitate to reply to this email with comments, I read and answer all emails :)