Discussion

Using the videos, you watched in your Week 6 Learning Materials, answer the following questions:

What is the definition of an e-patient? (Use the video and your textbook to provide a thorough response).

Understanding the healthcare system as a consumer TEDTalk

1. What is the difference between a grocery store and the world’s healthcare system?

2. In the ten years leading up to the passing of the Affordable Care Act, what percent did the cost of healthcare rise?

3. Who or what are the four influencers of healthcare?

4. Describe each influencer in detail.

5. Why does government-controlled healthcare make good politics, but it does not make for good policy in the US free-market system?

6. What are some of the things consumers can control regarding healthcare?

7. What steps must a healthcare consumer take when applying the economic principle in their approach to the healthcare system to curb the cost?

8. Provide your thoughts on this video. What shocked you and why? Are there things the speaker discussed that you already knew? Do you agree with the speaker that the heatlhcare consumer should take the steps he described?

9. What barriers could heatlhcare consumers have when using these approaches? Is it realistic to assume that an individual as a healthcare consumer can “shop” for healthcare services to lower costs? Why or why not?

TedTalk: Dave deBronkart: e-Patient Dave

1. What is the most underutilized resource in healthcare?

2. What happened to Dave? Give an account of his personal story. What did he do once he found out about his illness?

3. What did Kelly Young come up with as a result of her rheumatoid arthritis?

4. What chant did Dave want his participants to say at the end of his speech? Why is this important?