Blunt Healthcare

Obviously language is a key building block in communications.  It is one thing to say “your cholesterol is above normal” and another thing to say “if you don’t control your cholesterol, you will die before your 60”.  But, are physicians and other health professionals willing to be that blunt?  And, can us patients receive the tough love?

Between all the legal caveats that regulators and lawyers force into messages combined with companies unwillingness to offend, it seems hard to imagine many people delivering the blunt message.  But, I personally know it makes a difference.  About 5 years ago, I had a physician tell me that I was overweight.  He had calculated my BMI and suggested I lose weight.  My initial response was okay (sure).

My wife was there and was quick to tell him that he needed to push me on the issue if it was important.  So, he changed his words and told me that according to my BMI I was obese.  Now, that caught my attention.  I wasn’t going to be obese by anyone’s standards. 

So, he told me that I needed to lose 40 lbs to be in the normal (clinically acceptable) range going from 215 to 175 lbs on my 5′-10″ body.  I hadn’t weighed that since high school (or earlier). 

But, in 60 days, I lost the weight.  I ran or did aerobic kick boxing every day for 60 days and lost 40 lbs.  From there, I started running and within 12 months of my appointment I had run my first marathon.  Now, 5 years later, I have put some of it back on, but even at my worse since then, I have been down 20 lbs and have a solution to apply.

The point here is that to motivate consumers like me I believe that the healthcare system needs to be more blunt (or harse or direct) than it is.  Communications have to drive to an action and push people to take it.