I think the clip featuring Dr. Rishi Manchanda was a great
video. The opening story about “Veronica”
really brings up so many issues on so many fronts. When discussing “vulnerable populations”,
that is something that can have many different meanings. Vulnerable could mean
children or the elderly, or it can refer to those who do not have the financial
means to support themselves in a healthy environment. In this case, Veronica is someone who lived,
obviously, in a very poor environment.
Living in south central Los Angeles in a home or apartment that, from the
presenter’s description, had mold and water damage among other things. These environmental factors were directly
attributed to her illness, as well as her son’s asthma, both of whom improved
after cleaning up their living environment.
I think this also points out the inequities in our
healthcare system. Living in an
impoverished neighborhood, “Veronica” is going back and forth between different
public hospital emergency department’s where she is treated, as emergency
physicians do, for her symptoms. Due to
her social situation, she may or may not have insurance. It also sounds like she didn’t have a primary
care physician to follow her regularly until she saw the presenter. The presenter also acknowledged that in
addition to a primary physician like him, and the emergency physicians in a
time of need, there needs to be more focus on not just treating symptoms but
solving issues before they turn into symptoms or conditions. Being proactive is almost always a good idea,
and when it comes to health and environment, it’s an integral part of being
successful.
Hi Doug,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your thoughtful comments. I also think that the example of Veronica points to inequities in the healthcare system. If she had a primary care physician she may have had more of an advocate. This video also made me think about fee-for-service versus per capita forms of payment. Though there are many downsides to per capita, it does make me think that perhaps if physicians were not reimbursed blindly for every service they provided, then maybe someone would have put more of an effort into finding the root cause. Anyways, I also found this video intriguing and a great way to think about approaching public health issues!
Malena
Your comments on the video depict what it is like for someone to live in a vulnerable population and the struggles they face day by day are an eye opener for society. As public health professionals it is our duty to help Veronica and others like her to escape this population.
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