Coda Change Healthcare Wellbeing: Knowing when it's time for a change
DR JUSTIN HENSLEY DISCUSSES THE STATE OF US MEDICINE THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC. THE POWER OF INSURANCE COMPANIES AND DESPERATE WORKING CONDITIONS IN US HOSPITALS.
In this talk, Justin outlines the "idealistic" view he had of emergency care before working in the ED. However, he was not prepared for the “joyless” nature of a medical system which seemed to place profits above patients.
Through a detailed account of what it’s like to work in the US healthcare system, Justin shares his belief that US medicine is “purely, 100% a business”.
He dives into the unavoidable financial struggles that patients must endure with private insurance companies for even the most basic care. Justin states that, at times, it felt as though he was just “generating a bill for the patient”.
Venturing further into the issue of insurance companies, Justin takes us through his own experience of delivering healthcare to rural Americans. His patient-first philosophy led this project, only to have it shut down due to insurance companies not recognising the importance of his work.
Justin goes on to tackle the issue of burnout.He explains how fear at the beginning of the pandemic saw ED patient numbers drop, meaning less cashflow and dramatic cutting of shifts. Once the patient volumes went back up, staffing failed to appropriately match the new demand. This lead to a burnout-fuelled “logistical nightmare”.
Finally, Justin outlines how “embracing the suck” led him to move to Australia to pursue his current endeavour. He has reignited his passion for providing much-needed healthcare to rural patients.
Tune in to this fascinating take on international healthcare with Dr Justin Hensley. Healthcare Wellbeing: Knowing when it's time for a change
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