There is something very exciting about electing a new president. While the "excitement" went on a little too long for my taste during this last presidential campaign, and there could be some fine-tuning of the election process in general, you have to admit that everyone who is eligible to vote in this country has a chance to express their opinion on election day; that is an inalienable right that every U.S. citizen should cherish. I really get a kick out of listening to each candidate's platform and comparing their campaign speeches to the actual deeds of their administration four years later. Unfortunately, most times they do not match up very well. Some get closer than others, but when it comes to health care, their history of keeping campaign promises has been pathetic.
I think the United States has some of the brightest health care professionals in the world, but over the years our health care system has been in a steady decline; and there are still too many people in this country with no health care coverage. According to the World Health Organization and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. spends far more on health care than any other industrialized nation. If asked, I think most Americans would say they don't mind paying more in taxes as long as the country is getting better care. Clearly, that is not the case. Americans live shorter lives and have a higher infant mortality rate than most other developed nations. The U.S. ranks 34th in the world in life expectancy and 29th in infant mortality. Many will rationalize that the environment or some other "external" factors are contributing to the decline in health care, and to some extent that is true. But many other countries face the same environmental concerns, and yet their health care statistics are vastly better relative to what they spend.
I am of the opinion that our health care system is in disrepair in many areas. It really needs President Obama's full attention to fix it. But with all the other issues on his plate, it is unlikely we will see any immediate change, which of course was the cornerstone of his campaign.
One area where he should start looking to make that change involves pharmacists. There is no health care professional who interacts with more patients on a regular basis than the pharmacist. And with the economy sagging so badly, medication compliance has become a major concern. Some patients have cut back on their doctor visits, some are not renewing their medications, and still others are not even getting their original prescriptions filled. If this country is going to make any headway in improving health care, it has to start with interacting and communicating better with the patient. And the pharmacist is in the best position to do that. But a study out of Purdue University points to several obstacles that make it difficult perform those professional services. In addition to lack of time, insufficient reimbursement, and privacy issues, the report pointed to a lack of management support as the most prevalent problem.
If pharmacists are going to play an active role in getting this country's health care system back on track, they need the support of the people who hire them. I encourage our new president to make the pharmacist a top priority in his health care policy. Without pharmacists, the future development of health care in the U.S. doesn't even stand a chance.
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