What A Simple Question Reveals About The Barriers To Health “Consumerism”

Yesterday, on my way back home running a series of personal errands, I heard an interesting broadcast on NPR focusing on the spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria.  The piece focused on a recent government report indicating that infections due to “super bugs” are rapidly increasing in prevalence. 

Paul Levy, President and CEO of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and popular blogger (he writes Running A Hospital), was interviewed by NPR.  Levy, who has led various initiatives at his hospital designed to improve healthcare provider hand hygiene, was disappointed in his progress.  Despite numerous attempts, he has not been able to get providers to wash their hands before seeing patients.  On his blog he said:

“We have made some, but not satisfactory, progress on the hand hygiene issue at our hospital. . . . [N]o one has discovered the silver bullet on [hand washing] yet.”

However, there is one communications initiative that could help to reduce the spread of bacterial resistant infections by providers: patient questions.  If they asked a provider: “Did you wash your hands?,” the rate of transmission might significantly decrease.  However, anecdotal evidence indicates that patients are less than willing to be this confrontational.  In a response to Levy’s blog post about this issue, one person said:

“In all honesty, I do not know if I would be able to look at my doctors and the nurses and other care takers and question why they did not wash their hands . . . I feel like they would think I do not trust their care of me. Most probably they would not, but still, I feel that way. Maybe my family can ask them . . .”

It’s funny how a simple question can reveal so much.  Consumers’ unwillingness to ask questions and probe their providers stretches to a number of areas.  Given these communications barriers, can health consumerism ever be successful? 

I’d love to hear what you think.