Solutions Within Reach

Nigerians have a proclivity towards speaking in idioms and proverbs. Here's one time where adopting my mother's penchant for the same can speak volumes: Prevention is better than cure.

There are many cost drivers in our health-care system: new technologies, administrative inefficiencies and abuse of the system. But the single most important cost driver is chronic illness--how we manage it and how we prevent it. With 75 percent of health care dollars being spent on chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity, focusing our efforts here seems logical. Plus, chronic disease is costing us nearly $1.3 trillion each year. (Incidentally, that is nearly the cost to implement current health reform proposals.) With those numbers, it would be difficult to find anyone who would disagree with the notion that we must deal with chronic illness if we want to reform health and health care in the U.S.

Is it possible to rein in costs? Absolutely. Here's why: Chronic illnesses are preventable and their root causes modifiable. And, when we think a problem is modifiable we are more likely to address it and solve it.

To prevent chronic disease and promote health three points must be addressed: research, education and accessibility to information. Research evaluating prevention programs will help us determine which strategies are effective in combating chronic illness. Educating families, communities and policy-makers about healthier options and how to make these options readily available will challenge long-held myths about the choices we make concerning health. Finally, getting appropriate information out to populations at greatest risk of having chronic illnesses is essential. This can be accomplished through partnerships between community health clinics and institutions that have access to these groups, such as faith-based organizations. With this approach we can begin to change behavior for the better and drive down costs at the same time.

It is said, "A stitch in time saves nine." Therefore, let us do what we can now to prevent an unsustainable future.

By Chisara N. Asomugha  |  July 22, 2009; 7:29 AM ET  | Category:  Health costs
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