5 proposed initiatives to revolutionize health care

For RFK and HHS

After watching most of the recent RFK HHS hearings, my prevailing thought is that, despite the legal and business complexities being managed, few in the room know anything about true health.  When I say true health, I mean the kind of full-spectrum well-being someone like RFK enjoys- physical, spiritual thriving where one treats their body as sacred and maintains it as such, has a greater purpose, is in control of their emotions, and can actively shape their own future.  The disconnect between this level of human potential and the current state of US health care is profound.

We need deep, disruptive change!  To that end, here are 5 strategic initiatives I would love to see RFK champion as Head of HHS:

1. Reset - we need health care to include programs people can choose to participate in to get off pharma drugs.  This needs to be done with coaching and support from a doctor, naturopath or other health expert, to ensure a safe transition either to healthier, lower cost, lower risk options or to no medications or supplements altogether.  I have personally done this, working with a naturopath, to get off of oral steroids (for CIU, back story is here https://open.substack.com/pub/thecriticalmiddle/p/hidden-options-in-health-care-part-a8f).  Doctors won’t tell you, primarily because they do not know, but often there are healthier alternatives eg cocurcumin instead of steroids, isoquercetin instead of antihistamines, 5HTP instead of SSRIs, nebulized hydrogen peroxide instead of inhaled steroids.. and many more.  One of the consequences of a for-profit health system is that the most profitable treatments become most prevalent.  For every pharma drug, for every condition, I am willing to bet anything that there is a healthier treatment option.  This has been my experience, for IBS to baby gastro issues to colitis to CIU to asthma.  If we want a healthier, thriving population and lower costs, this is the way.

2. Research - it is the role of public health to do the studies that industry won’t.  Which means providing “gold standard” evidence behind the types of options mentioned above.  And then integrating them into protocols such that they become part of standards of care.  This has not been happening, rather NIH and others have sided with industry, even profiting from drug and vaccine development.  Call it corruption, conflict of interest, agency capture, missed opportunities, I don’t care.  Just change it, and we will be on a path to greater health at lesser expense.  The role of public health is to fund research to benefit the public, in situations where private industry will not or should not invest.

3. Redesign - In addition to researching healthier, less expensive treatments, there is ample opportunity to completely redesign the patient experience for things like the birth process, where frequent testing, poking and prodding can take away from the beauty and wonder of motherhood and is not necessary for healthy mothers who would prefer to opt out from all but a few critical check-ins.  In early life, do we really need all the “well visits”?  Do they benefit the health of baby or mother, or simply ensure steady funds for pediatricians?  The end of life process can certainly be more human, humane and less intrusive.  And much more.

4. Recover - it’s a fraction of unhealthy people who want to change at any moment in time.  For those that do, community, human connection and expert insights can make all the difference.  Facebook groups and a few other healthtech providers are in this space.  There is opportunity to improve on these options by creating an option similar to FB groups but with greater privacy and data security, an interface designed for searching and connection (rather than scrolling UI), and participation by doctors, naturopaths etc (in a way that aligns with legal constraints about medical advice).  The idea is to allow a space for patients to share experiences, ideas and questions in a space that supports new ideas and innovation.  I have participated in groups like this.  The power of community cannot be overstated, both for patients and their loved ones.

5. Reimburse - One of the sharpest pain points of the current health care system, for people who have come to understand the biases of the system and the life-changing options outside it (supplements, Chinese medicine, naturopaths, functional medicine, etc), is that often these choices are not covered.  Which means that true health is available only to those who can afford to go outside of the system.  This is unacceptable.. and already changing.  HSAs and payment technologies already provide the tools to support this.  It’s the rules of what can be funded that need adjustment.

If we are able to do even some of these, millions of lives will be changed for the better.  I am happily entrenched in my new corporate job.  But hey, if RFK calls, I am in!

MAHA