Access and Impact: Understanding the Difference in Healthcare
5 min read
“A 7-minute office visit technically qualifies as access, but it hardly will have any impact.”
Healthcare policy makers are obsessed with access. It is THE buzz word right now. What we care about at Blue Ocean Health is impact, however. This is an important distinction. Understanding their meanings and how they play out in the real world is essential if you are concerned about your health. In this blog post, we'll break down the difference between these two concepts and explore why both are critical to building a healthier society.
What Is Access to Healthcare?
Access to healthcare refers to your ability to obtain the health services you need. It involves multiple factors that determine whether you can see a doctor, receive treatment, or get preventive care. Key components of healthcare access include:
Availability of Services: This refers to whether health services are physically available where you live. Is there a primary care clinic within driving distance from you? Or at least a telemedicine offering? Rural areas are most plagued by this as they have fewer hospitals or clinics, making it harder for residents in these areas of the country to receive care.
Affordability: If you can’t afford it, you may not get it. Even if services are available, they may not be affordable. High out-of-pocket costs, lack of insurance, or inadequate public healthcare programs can prevent people from seeking necessary care.
Accommodation: How accommodating is your local clinic? Long wait times, inconvenient clinic hours, or appointment scheduling barriers can limit people's ability to use healthcare services effectively.
What Is the Impact of Healthcare?
The impact of healthcare refers to the real-world consequences that result from the healthcare services you receive. This can manifest in several ways:
Health Outcomes: The most direct impact of healthcare is on the health of individuals and populations. Accessible and effective healthcare can lead to improved health outcomes, such as better management of chronic medical conditions and longer life expectancy.
Quality of Life: Impact is not only about survival but also the quality of life people experience. Effective healthcare can improve mobility, mental health, and overall wellbeing, helping you live a fuller, more active life.
Economic Productivity: Good healthcare impacts the economy as healthier individuals are more productive, miss fewer days of work, and contribute more to their communities. Poor health, on the other hand, leads to a decrease in workforce participation, higher absenteeism, and increased healthcare costs.
Preventive Effects: Preventive healthcare services, like vaccinations and screenings, can reduce the incidence of diseases, contributing to overall health improvement in the population. The impact of prevention is long-lasting, saving both lives and costs.
The Key Difference: Access vs. Impact
While access and impact are closely related, they are different in key ways. Access to healthcare is the opportunity to receive care, whereas impact refers to the outcomes that result from receiving or not receiving care.
Think of it like this: access is the pathway, and impact is the destination. You can have access to healthcare services, but without effective care or proper use of those services, the health outcomes might not be optimal. A 7-minute office visit technically qualifies as access, but it hardly will have any impact.
Why Is It Important to Address Impact?
Ensuring access to healthcare is essential, but it does NOT guarantee positive health outcomes (aka impact). What patients (YOU) care about is their health and preventing/reversing medical illness. Without adequate time to address patient concerns and adequate healthcare resources, such as skilled physicians, access becomes hollow.
Direct primary care (DPC) works fantastically to enhance access and maximize impact. The flat affordable monthly membership fee model eliminates unnecessary barriers to patient care and re-establishes the patient-doctor relationship. Patients get immediate, high-quality access to dedicated primary care physicians. Doctors get to spend more time with their patients and identify root causes of disease so as to prevent/reverse them.
Conclusion
Both access to healthcare and its impact are crucial to achieving better health outcomes for individuals and communities. Ensuring that everyone has access to high-quality healthcare services is the first step, but we must also focus on making sure that the care provided leads to measurable improvements in health. By addressing both access and impact, we can move toward a healthier society where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Disclaimer: The information provided on this platform is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this platform.
-Dr. Kavalek and Dr. Gannon
Blue Ocean Health Direct Primary Care clinic
“Medicine done right, not rushed.”
