Without clients, there is no business.

No matter what salary, schedule, time off, benefits, or accommodations anyone wants or needs — without clients, none of it is possible. Therefore, everything has to be built for clients/customers to come first. This may seem obvious, but the vast majority of businesses in any industry are built to serve the leadership, employees, institution, industry, shareholders, and/or even the media before the clients/customers. Most systems — even the most prestigious — are generally built for the convenience and/or benefit of the people/institutions that run them. In the medical field, that is why simple things like being able to easily access one’s own complete medical record or having patients’ prescription histories readily available between all doctors to avoid drug interactions are rare in practice. That is why certain medical practices have built their systems of referral, patient acceptance, and care decisions around insurance networks and approvals. That trend demonstrates a priority of insurance receivables before care.

I have been to many healthcare facilities around the world of all sizes and specializations. I have yet to come across a single one set up first and foremost for the patient (who is the client/customer in a medical setting).

The complex part of all of the above is that the majority of healthcare professionals would read what I’m saying…