I have been reading,
watching, and listening to progressive deep thinkers, heavy social breathers,
and alarmed liberal hysterics.
Collectively, they seem to think the end of the earth may not be near,
but you can see it after the Trump election.
These critics believe sun,
wind, tide, and bio-based sources of energy are in, and fossil fuels, fracking, an drilling for oil are out. Globalization is in, and nationalism are
out. Collaboration across the social spectrum
is in, and individualism and
entrepreneuralism and taking advantage of
economic opportunities is out. Waste is
in and recycling is out.
According to these
critics, Trump and his followers
believe(Peter Senge, The Necessary
Solution: How Individuals and Organizations Working Together to Create a
Sustainable e World, Trump et all have these unsustainable
beliefs.
· Energy is infinite and cheap.
· There will always be enough room to dispose of our
waste.
· Humans can’t possibly alter the global environment. Weather
patterns will remain stable no matter how we act.
· Basic resources such as water and topsoil are unlimited. If limits or problems are
encountered, markets and new technologies will reallocate financial resources
so we can continues with our current ways of living and working.
· Productivity and standardization are keys to economic
progress.
· Economic
growth and rising GDP are the best way to “lift all boats and reduce social inequities.
Another deep thinker, Thomas Friedman, of the New York Times, says larger forces
- Moore’s Law (microchips will double in efficiency every 2 years),
globalization (interconnections and interdependence secondary to the Internet),
an Mother Nature (climate change and biodiversity loss) are accelerating and will
either save us or destroy us. He says
since 2007 we have been changing fast because of Iphones, advances in silicon chips, software, sensors,
and networking, and these forces are transforming society irreversibly.
In health care, critics
maintain, only collaboration between
government and NGOs (nongovernment organizations) will save us from our follies/ The solution will require collaboration in
the form of accountable care organizations,
medical homes, integrated health organizations, bundled pricing, and measures of improvement
tied to physician and hospital reimbursements,
and universal care. Universality in care will lead inevitably to learning
organizations, and the use of artificial intelligence4
and elegant algorithms that will supplement and supplant clinician experience
and intuition and interpretations. For example,
artificial intelligence and algorithms will replace interpretation s of
radiologists and pathologists to interpret images on ex-rays and slides.
All will be well and better
in health care if we oly listen and heed the Big Thinkers. aim for universal coverage, erase social
injustices, achieve standardized outcomes,
and collaborate across all health care spectrums.
If other words, if only we
defy human nature and level all playing fields,
we will have harmonious outcomes.