Healthcare is Going to Crash and Burn!
Crash and Burn!
Yes. It’s true. Healthcare is going to crash and burn. The fee for service, administrative heavy, waste laden model is literally going to eat itself.
It is likely that new models will emerge out of the post fee for service-apocalypse. Models emphasizing continuing care, chronic disease management and long term engagement; among other things.
“Recovery” organizations need to be poised and positioned to be part of these new systems.
BUT IT IS NOT GONNA HAPPEN if we are hell bent on this “recovering people only” / self segregation “addicts are different” messaging.
FAVOR Greenville & youturn
At FAVOR Greenville and youturn we reject the idea that people with SUD are somehow different from the rest of humanity.
For example, this idea that we must be sent off and then return “fixed” is insulting. The concept of “addictive thinking” is insulting.
The idea that I need to introduce myself with a label of addict, alcoholic, or even “person in long term recovery” is demeaning. Of course, long term recovery is better than addict or alcoholic but how about no label.
Consider These Points
- SUD is a healthcare issue. ADDICTION IS NOT WHO I AM. ITS SOMETHING I HAVE DEALT WITH AND OVERCAME. I need to follow a healthy lifestyle on an ongoing basis to ensure I stay safe. But quite frankly, zingers, energy drinks, convenience store pizza and 80 hour work weeks are much more likely to take me out than opioid use disorder. It’s not lurking around the corner ready to grab me. Oreo cookies are lurking around the corner …. but not opioids.
- Like any other healthcare issue, there are different manifestations or stages of the disorder. Mild, moderate, severe are the official diagnostic stages (I would say its way more nuanced than that).
Currently, we only deal with the most severe end of the “severe group” and we act as if this represents a comprehensive response to SUD. Addressing less that 10% of the problem is not comprehensive. Truly, you don’t even understand the problem if only work with 1/10 of the people impacted. - SUD is chronic, in the sense that phases of remission and phases of recurrence are common. Most people eventuality resolve these ups and downs on their own. #facts. We would do well as a society to provide education, information and (in some cases) unconditional support/health coaching along the way.
I believe people would resolve these ups and downs earlier and progression could be slowed. - The family is deeply impacted. Family members frequently experience health issues as the direct result of dealing with a loved one’s SUD. FAMILY MEMBERS OF A PERSON WITH SEVERE SUD ARE 5x’s MORE LIKELY TO BE HOSPITALIZED than the general public.
In certain cases the family is worn out (dealing with the issue for such a long period of time), put in dangerous situations and/or directly victimized. In those cases, detachment makes sense.
However, automatically telling the family to detach, practice tough love, wait until they hit bottom is inhumane, mean and simply inappropriate and ineffective. Education, support and skill building for the family should be routine part of the process
New Solutions
Interestingly, much of the above applies to many other disorders/healthcare issues. As the health system comes apart at the seams (which it will) I believe the “new solutions”, that emerge on the other side, will address “other chronic disorders” in a more holistic way.
Let’s hope SUD is included in that new model.
But make no mistake, Substance Use Disorder is not going to be included if we hold tight to this “we are recovery you are not” messaging. Why do we keep telling the world we are screwed up in this super special way so they can send us off to the tuberculosis unit and cleanse us?
But you do not speak for me or the organizations I work with. I do not blindly endorse any agenda just because it’s labeled “recovery advocacy”.
We should also be talking “healthcare advocacy”….. It’s all unraveling right now.
This is the Time and Place
Be smart and think critically and define your position.
There will be no better opportunity to flip the script.
Note: If you are cool with the way things are currently handled then this post clearly doesn’t apply to you. If the outcomes are acceptable as far as you are concerned …. Well then, keep arranging the chairs on the deck of the Titanic.
Everything is fine. The ship unsinkable.
