|
August
2001
A New Way to
Purchase Health
A colleague
of mine at the office is showing off pictures of her baby, months
before birth. Ah, the wonders of modern imaging!
The Wall Street
Journal recently reported on another phenomenon -- do-it-yourself
medical screenings. On your own initiative and without a doctor's
referral, you can get a complete body scan or have your blood tested
for just about anything. The idea of driving to the mall and getting
your body scanned and your blood worked up with as much ease as
getting your hair cut raises interesting questions about what it
means to be a "consumer" of health information and health
services.
All the tests
being marketed directly to consumers already are available to individuals
upon their doctor's recommendation - primarily to people at increased
risk. Who are the people who are likely to choose to pay for these
services out of their own pockets? What are they seeking that they
cannot otherwise get as part of routine medical care? Being able
to afford the tests may lead some people to take advantage of them,
but other factors are likely to be involved as well.
One attraction
of direct-access testing may be that it offers the lure of another
quick-fix, high-tech medical solution rather than facing the daily
drudge of active moderation.
Another attraction
is the possibility of a comprehensive personalized risk assessment.
But most of us, even if we track down the meaning of the specific
numbers implied by our test results, are not going to be able to
interpret and act on test results on our own. And even if we are,
we might choose to ignore the information.
It's important
to remember that the effect of every drug, device, test and procedure
on health is mediated by behavior. The growing availability of direct-access
diagnostics provides an opportunity for us to seriously consider
what we want to know about our health and how we use the information
once we have it.
|
