Should healthcare be transactional? The answer to that question is complex and will depend on your individual considerations. So, yes and no. I will explain.
We need to start by defining transactional.
If healthcare as a transaction means “I pay you money and you make me better” then healthcare cannot be transactional. Every patient must be involved in their own recovery, must take responsibility for their own actions that contributed to their problem. Do their part in their own healing. No one can just heal another person.
I have seen this too many times. The family of an addicted patient sends them to rehabilitation. Without the commitment of the addicted patient to their own recovery the likelihood of success is low. That is why forcing people into recovery for addiction treatment is so controversial. Addiction recovery is not a simple transaction.
If healthcare as a transaction means that every person needs to invest time, effort, and money in their own health in order to fully recover, then healthcare must be transactional. As a well-known naturopathic doctor frequently told his patients “good health costs money.” In other words, good health takes effort, effort and commitment – by the patient.
There have been formal studies on the effects of paying for healthcare. In one study the part of a patient group that paid more for their care had better recovery rates. Paying for what you get is a transactional commitment.
In summary, abdicating responsibility for your health to a doctor in exchange for money will not work. Taking responsibility for your lifestyle choices and the costs associated with the medical care you choose will get you better health.
