I have been in the psychiatric/healthcare field for about 45 years. To state there have been a lot of changes to it since the early 70s would be an understatement.

Now let me state the obvious: if you experience a trauma like a car accident, a stabbing, shooting, or a heart attack, going to the hospital is, as they say, a no-brainer. I mean, what's the other option?

But here is the reality which needs to be known by everyone: it is estimated that somewhere between 250,000 and 400,000 deaths a year are caused by hospital error. It is not surprising that this figure is questioned and disputed by medical and hospital associations. My response to them would be, after all the lies connected with COVID, you expect me to believe anything you have to say?

Bottom line, medical errors made by hospitals are the third leading cause of death behind heart attacks and cancer. Is there anyone out there who doesn't have a hospital or healthcare nightmare experience to tell?

What follows are some insights and suggestions on how to deal with hospitals in the 21st century.

If you or a loved one are hospitalized and having difficulty moving or doing self-care, I would strongly recommend having someone available to be with that person. Hospitals these days are understaffed and providing the needed care to incapacitated patients is just not there. Going to the bathroom, assistance with eating, etc. is too often not attended to in a timely manner. Sadly, staff are frequently burned out from being overworked and understaffed and this can be reflected in their attitude towards the patient. A sad state of affairs, to say the least.

A few other insights into healthcare in general:

1. As you get past retirement age you suddenly find that the doctor you had been seeing has been replaced by a physician's assistant or a nurse practitioner. Two woefully undertrained professions that for some reason are allowed to function like doctors. I say undertrained because physicians are required to have many more years of instruction. Translation: you are on the downside of your lifespan and well, the physician has a heavy caseload and needs to prioritize who gets what care.

2. Taking prescribed meds: here's the bottom line, every medication you take has a side effect, be it subtle or obvious.  Count the pluses and minuses of taking them. Most importantly, do the research and see what you can do personally to get at the cause of your ailment. Meds mostly treat only the symptoms; you must find a way to get at the cause.

The healthcare we once had many decades ago no longer exists. Yes, it wasn't perfect, but it was far better than what is around today. 

The reasons for the decline are many, but the big one is not surprisingly related to money.

Image: Paul Fürst