Better Access to Care for the Vulnerable Populations

When it comes to “vulnerable populations,” non-medical determinants such as SES, early life conditions as well as community and built environmental conditions, play a powerful role in the overall health status of these “vulnerable individuals.” The cost and logistical problems involved in visiting the doctor are the main deterrents for these people who need to see a physician. These vulnerable patients are even less likely to seek treatment when rising costs are coupled with an increased difficulty in securing an appointment, clinics with short hours or finding a suitable primary care physician. More children from low-income families are not getting preventive care, and their families are waiting longer to bring them in for sick visits in the hopes that the illness will resolve without medical intervention. However, the irony is that, if these kids had had adequate insurance coverage and gotten preventative treatment, they may have not needed an expensive hospital admission, which ultimately is much more costly to the health care system. In addition, many preventive procedures and screening tools are not paid for by most insurance companies, leaving sick patients with no choice but to wait until they are sicker before seeking treatment. The most direct way of improving the health indicators of these groups is to improve access to care and focus on preventive medicine, primary care and a focus on a doctor model, where patients have more options.