Over the last number of months, my postings (which I refer to as Phase I) were meant to be at a very general level and to offer a vehicle for awareness and education for everyone - but typical patients, and specifically, those patients with a chronic illness or condition.
It is my belief that there are about 100 million os so Americans and 10 million or more Canadians who would categorize themselves as such. While different healthcare systems seem to other different strengths, there is a common problem plaguing all of them - and that is: how do we support the 3C's? The 3C's (Consumers with Chronic Conditions) are very familiar with their health systems and for the most part, want to help out the "system". To do this, however, the system MUST let them.
As a result, we started Patient Destiny to start to put a lot of the different sectors of 3C's together. For example, someone with Crohn's Disease (like me) may meet (at meetings or in waiting rooms) other like patients, but it is unlikely that I would meet people with kidney disease or heart problems. But it is the power of all these groups put together that is needed to help move the system to one that empowers the patient. This combined group of patients is VERY large and could put much pressure on the management of healthcare today.
In Phase I, I documented our mission and different elements that are critical - such as accessing your own information from personal health records. In Phase II, we start action!
The first task is to Outline the 10 Steps to being empowered! Then we will move to getting more and more patients to sign up and join our group. The more representation, the better the chances of getting our voice heard.
I invite you all personally to come along for what will be a very exciting ride! Tell you friends - other 3C's and the healthy and well. Everyone should begin to understand how the system does not work now and how we want to help it...
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