Where is money wasted in healthcare?

mommiksa · Jul 13, 2009

"Enormous numbers of dollars are spent on futile care because a family member doesn't want to let go".

Many don't want to "let go" because there is usually a substantial check (social security, retirement, govenment, etc) that gets delivered each month as long as that person is alive. I've worked in adult care for years and have seen this numerous times. Some military checks are quite substantial. Sad...very sad.

dunwanna · Jul 13, 2009

I think everyone should have covered health care for catastrophic events only. Most others are a waste of our money.

rph3664 · Jul 13, 2009

I think everyone should have covered health care for catastrophic events only. Most others are a waste of our money.

That might work for some people, but for many, something could turn catastrophic if the basics aren't covered first.

MaritesaRN · Jul 13, 2009

Wow , all of the above are so legitimate w/ their thoughts..... this is just to show you , how far behind the facilities are in these matters !! To summarize, we need hospital administrators to be in the same wave length with us w/ the cost. Okay, assumming all nurses or facility staff have a high stock share or pot shares in the hospital , would that change the mentality of the nursing staff?

Maybe they can look at the cost more openly . Considering there is a stake for the nursing staff , they can help eliminate waste or duplicate processes. I firmly believe that the

**hospital administrator must be a clinician or staff, so he or she can understand both aspects of realistic staffing/care vs. business aspect? There should be a review of all systems and all processess quarterly if needed to see that there is no duplication -----there are a lot of paperwork that needs to be reviewed to be sure it is not duplicating any other process, or staff position.

ex. Admission people should already have all the complete insurance info. so that the case managers do not waste time calling them to verify or clariffy patients status info ! Another duplication where I used to work at, was the supervisor case manager wants the case managers to gather info as to how long the patient stayed in ER, before transferred to the floor------- the ER supervisor was already doing this, since it is in her domain! And yet the CM supervisor did not even researched if this was already in place !!!! But for the meantime she is taking valuable time from the paper bogged case managers already! (thus the reason I got out from this specialty--- is is like riding a tsunami wave without a surf board !!! )

So many to mention, but I believe that if everybody worked together and be transparent w/ their work, projects etc., then there will be few to no duplication at all .

** a case manager should be able to take care of over staying patient, or the insurance will not pay ( so this is in place now)

Ruby Vee, BSN · Jul 13, 2009

i think everyone should have covered health care for catastrophic events only. most others are a waste of our money.

and i think everyone should have good, basic coverage. if everyone were able to get their annual mammograms, there would be fewer stage 4 breast cancers. if everyone's blood pressure medication was covered we'd have fewer boxed kidneys and less need for dialysis. if everyone had access to basic vaccinations there wouldn't be measles outbreaks . . . .

dunwanna · Jul 14, 2009

That might work for some people, but for many, something could turn catastrophic if the basics aren't covered first.

Well lets talk about the basics:

Many visits are a waste of time and can be helped and treated by diet and exercise alone.

Cancer and chemo, don't get me started.

Not_A_Hat_Person, RN · Jul 14, 2009

Some time ago, I took a week-long class in a process called "Six Sigma", which began in industry and has now migrated over to health care. Officially, it is known as a "process improvement" effort, but long story short it's about cutting costs and saving money. The Six Sigma process was designed by engineers, so it takes months and months of measuring, graphing and data collection to get the end result.

Six Sigma?! AAAAHH!!! I spent a summer working at GE, and they were doing Six Sigma out the wazoo. I was working in auditing, and I had no idea how it applied to out group.

blondnursey · Jul 14, 2009

I agree here. All we're doing is torturing what's left. And when their kidneys fail. Yeesh. Not for me. No vents, no feeding tubes. Just give me my morphine and let me go already.
I AGREE, i have seen far too many pts in vegatative states linger for years........what an awful way to exist....it must be like torture........cruel and unusual punishment..for everyone involved ,staff , family ,taxpayers..
no tubes or vents for me either.
i want to die with dignity and comfort.

MaritesaRN · Jul 14, 2009

I AGREE, i have seen far too many pts in vegatative states linger for years........what an awful way to exist....it must be like torture........cruel and unusual punishment..for everyone involved ,staff , family ,taxpayers..
no tubes or vents for me either.
i want to die with dignity and comfort.
so would I ...no tubes for me either!!!! I think the culprit in cases like these ,are the families....they hold on so tight to their loved ones , that they are blinded by their grief and "selfishness" that they will extend the life of that loved one no matter what it takes. If a loved one is dying and it is inevitable, then maybe the families needs to be counseled gently as to the process way before ------ and give them alternatives and just maybe they will let go. We are bordering on a sensitive and ethical grounds when we start talking as to who should get continued treatments and who does not. The patient is in control if he or she puts it in writing , when they can no longer make decisions for themselves........................but not for us to decide as to who lives, no matter how vegetative the patient seemed to be. It is a long way for us to think of the" green soy " movie. Maybe someday we have an option to do this, and it is still the individuals decision. ( If you have not seen this movie, you need to and see how your moral and ethics react to it. Very educational , but it is not for the weak!

Not_A_Hat_Person, RN · Jul 14, 2009

Well lets talk about the basics:
Many visits are a waste of time and can be helped and treated by diet and exercise alone.
Cancer and chemo, don't get me started.

I'm confused. Are you saying that cancer should be treated by diet and exercise alone? That people should have to explain their diet and exercise routine before getting any medical care? "Sorry about the broken arm; have you been exercising?" "You think it's strep? Have you been eating your vegetables?"

According to Consumer reports, if everyone in America took up healthy living tomorrow, we would have the second-highest health care costs in the world.

dunwanna · Jul 14, 2009

I'm confused. Are you saying that cancer should be treated by diet and exercise alone? That people should have to explain their diet and exercise routine before getting any medical care? "Sorry about the broken arm; have you been exercising?" "You think it's strep? Have you been eating your vegetables?"
According to Consumer reports, if everyone in America took up healthy living tomorrow, we would have the second-highest health care costs in the world.

I am just going to speak for myself. I am in my mid 40's. I've never been hospitalized. I used to be overweight. I had knee problems, back problems, high cholesterol, liver problems, anemia, and I was costing the system money that could have been spent on better uses, ie..broken bones, childhood diseases, etc.

I have been in shape the past 7 years, got off all meds, got rid of processed foods, gluten, sugar, junk food, etc. I have no more knee problems, back problems. Got off my thyroid, cholesterol, and liver drugs, and that money that wasn't truly needed on me, can now be used for someone who really does need it.

When I said don't get me started on Cancer. I think it's a money making scam for the most part.

Give me a link to your Consumer report comment...it doesn't make any sense!

MaritesaRN · Jul 14, 2009

I'm confused. Are you saying that cancer should be treated by diet and exercise alone? That people should have to explain their diet and exercise routine before getting any medical care? "Sorry about the broken arm; have you been exercising?" "You think it's strep? Have you been eating your vegetables?"
According to Consumer reports, if everyone in America took up healthy living tomorrow, we would have the second-highest health care costs in the world.

?????? I do not understand your last sentence ---does not make any sense ! Preventive helath is always money saving, no matter how and where you look at it? :icon_roll