Patient Well-Being is No Longer the Priority in America's Unbalanced Medical Care Environment

There is growing evidence that America is experiencing a Medical Care Crisis where patient well-being is no longer the priority. When we define "patient well-being" as the patient's positive experience while receiving medical care (meeting the shared health goals between the doctor and patient), we find that while America has the world's best and most resourced hospitals, doctors and universities, it paradoxically has the lowest patient satisfaction rate (12%-27% satisfaction). The Crisis is manifested by a lack of availability (even when there is access) to clinical services, clinical burnout/loss of doctor autonomy, corporatization of medical care (financial profit motives supersede patient well-being), depersonalization, non-clinicians performing clinical care and inadequate communication. Evidence suggests the cause of the Crisis to be an imbalance in our medical care environment; doctors, hospitals, payors and universities/innovators no longer work in concert to prioritize patient well-being. It calls for leaders to address burnout, communication, academic unawareness, and industry partner engagement. We must reestablish the reason for medical care: patient well-being.