Hurdling the Health Access Barrier

A young woman talks to an OBGYN at a Community Health Fair organized by CARD in January (Daet, Philippines). When selecting a health care provider in the United States, we generally make decisions based on the quality of the practitioners and the costs of services and medications. We also look for offices that are close to our home or office. However imperfect our health system may be, we generally have the information and tools at our disposal to identify and select the best options for our individual needs. In the developing world, however, making these same informed decisions is actually an acutely-felt barrier, one that often prevents women and their families from enjoying good health. When health care is needed but is delayed or not obtained, people's health worsens, which in turn leads to lost income and higher health care costs, both of which contribute to poverty.[1][2] I'm lucky. I do not have to visit my health provider too often, perhaps once or so per year for a preventive check-up (or to pick up malaria prophylaxis before traveling to an endemic area). In between visits, my health provider network keeps in touch with me -- sending out articles, wellness updates, webinars, classes and healthy recipes. I can access my personal health history online to review lab test results, ask a question or make an appointment. All of this allows me to get to know and build trust with my health provider. It also develops confidence that I can manage my own health. Whether i...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news