The Power, and Process, of a Simple Solution

Missing a doctor's appointment has a significant cost. Hospitals lose money and doctors lose time that they could be using to attend to other patients. Dr. Alex King believes that through testing and then implementing certain behavioral nudges, hospitals will stop losing as much money and patients will benefit from a better experience.

The United Kingdom's single-payer health insurance system, known as the National Health Service, has helped citizens obtain the essential care they need without having to worry about the cost of the care. While the model has shown proven success in reducing overall health costs and increasing positive health outcomes, some citizens say that care can be delayed due to demand, which leads them to pursue supplemental insurance.

Black American mothers are about 3.5 times more likely to die from complications related to childbirth than white American mothers. A program called Pregnancy Medical Home in North Carolina has contributed to successfully eliminating this disparity by targeting low-income mothers and focusing on risk factors that contribute to poor maternal outcomes. The program is funded by Medicaid and mothers who are identified as being high risk are paired with a care manager who helps them to achieve the health plans set forth by their doctors.

Three hospitals throughout Mississippi rank at the top for having the lowest number of C-sections in first-time, full-term pregnancies. The hospitals achieved this by making midwife care a regular part of the birthing experience, despite not having a midwifery certification program in the state.

Dental offices like Asian Health Services are starting to incorporate mental health care in their dental services. By observing changes in oral health, building trust with patients to talk about their mental health and having them fill out questionnaires about how they’ve been feeling, dentists are able to identify patients that may be struggling and then help connect them with therapy and treatment. Asian Health Services screens 300 to 400 patients per year, about 7% of which are then referred to counseling.

A health clinic in Minneapolis has played a significant role in combating racial gaps in health by prioritizing community-oriented primary care and recruiting staff – including leaders and doctors – from the local community. This model has not just increased trust between patients and the health care system but has also led to a significantly higher rate of vaccination and health screenings.

Switzerland is home to the world's lowest avoidable mortality rate and residents of the country live longer lives and are healthier than those who live in the United States. Health policy experts credit the Swiss health care system for playing a significant role. Despite the high cost and the penalty for not carrying insurance, the system is praised as guarateeing access to quality health-care and "unlike the U.S., people rarely go bankrupt from medical bills."

The San Carlos Apache tribe in Arizona has been able to increase dental healthcare access for children through targeted outreach and an educational marketing campaign. The goal of the multifaceted approach is to address fears, both on the part of the child and parents, through education about going to the dentist. The result has been a significant uptick in the number of children's dentistry appointments and caregivers reporting that their children are no longer afraid.

To promote better healthcare access in The Bronx, local healthcare providers, activists, and nonprofits are working together to implement tactics such as community conversations or the use of an app that assists pregnant women of color. These methodologies function on the basis of the sharing of "social capital," which helps increase and mobilize interpersonal relationships.

Across the United States, rural health-care centers that qualify to receive a Federally Qualified Health Centers designation are better able to provide affordable care for those that need it. Although there are limitations and other issues still being addressed, these health care centers are "committed to serving everyone, regardless of ability to pay."