As I walk into the Emergency Department at the beginning of my shift, it seems like it will be another day typical of the new era of health care. Over the past few months, I have been treating fewer and fewer people for complications of chronic diseases. I rarely encounter patients suffering from the acute effects of illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Most people are coming to the hospital seeking treatment for injuries and infections.
Since the COVID pandemic ended a decade ago, so many more people have been genuinely focused on taking better care of themselves. It seems as though there has been a major paradigm shift. Almost everyone I speak with has told me that they have changed their diets for the better. So many people are eating increased amounts of fruits, vegetables, and grains and much lesser amounts of processed foods. In addition, people have become so much more physically active. Countless individuals I have encountered during my shifts in the ER have told me that they have been able to discontinue several, if not all, of their medications because their conditions have been cured or stabilized. Perhaps the best thing, though, is that they feel great. People are always telling me how energetic and focused they are. I am loving this.
Moreover, I am overjoyed to know that these wonderful improvements in the health of so many are not just localized to my little corner of the world. Reviewing statistics from the CDC and medical journals confirms that this has become a near-global phenomenon.
Health care has shifted from a predominantly symptom and disease management model to one that emphasizes the importance of promoting and maintaining excellent health. Providers of health care spend significant amounts of time counseling their patients on the importance of good nutrition, regular exercise, adequate sleep, and coping well with stress. Rather than prescriptions for drugs and procedures, patients receive guidance on eating well and giving themselves sufficient physical activity.
Not only are innumerable people grateful for this new era of health care and the wonderful feeling of vitality that they experience every day, but governments have been reaping the benefits as well. Health care spending has been spiraling downward. I’m no economist, but I think that’s a good thing. Lost workdays due to illness have remarkably decreased, and productivity has consequently increased. These factors have proven to be an excellent boon for economies worldwide.
I had hoped for such a world for many years, and it has finally come to be. I am delighted to be taking care of such a healthy population in my professional life as an Emergency Medicine physician. Even many of my older patients are less frail and more energetic than I remember. In my personal life, I am thrilled to be part of a healthy family whose members I know will live not just long lives but energetic and joyful ones.