The world of asset management is moving well ahead of the medical profession when it comes to taking care of those physical assets we are entrusted with. We have the knowledge of proactive - preventive, predictive and detective methods in addition to all the diagnostic tools we have. We aren't using them all yet, but many of us are headed that way. Sadly it can't be said that our medical profession and health care systems are going there just yet.
In Canada we enjoy a high standard of living and by many measures we are a healthy nation. But we only look so good because we are comparing ourselves to a sorry lot. Health care in the USA is a shambles. Yes, the technology is there (as it is here), but it isn't accessible to all Americans - unless of course they are wealthy. You get it if you are wealthy enough to afford it. No discrimination. Here in Canada we limit access because we can't afford to make it any more accessible, so we all get treated in sequence regardless of need. No discrimination there either.
But these health care systems have it wrong. They are focused on fixing. Our systems wait until we (as individuals) run to some form of failure and then we rush to fix it. They are sick care systems. Calling that "health care" is no more valid than calling a maintenance department that does nothing but breakdown repairs an "asset care" system.
In Canada we have a bill before our parliament that would severely limit our free choice for more holistic approaches to taking care of ourselves. It's called Bill C-51. I don't expect anyone outside of Canada to care about our laws, but the direction they are headed in is of interest. This bill demonstrates a further erosion of our ability to make healthy choices for ourselves. It imposes greater government controls where they are simply not needed and worse - the sort of controls proposed are those that have proven to be entirely ineffective where they are being used already. I wrote a letter to our Minister of Health, our Prime Minister and my member of parliament. The form letters I received in response reveal that they haven't even read beyond seeing the word "C-51". They responded to concerns I haven't even raised. They are attempting to force this on Canadians. Similar laws have already been enacted in Europe with effects that are clearly beneficial to the pharmaceutical industry's pockets but not to the health of their citizens. I've posted my letter here so that you can read it too.
If you are Canadian and you haven't already taken steps to defeat this bill, then I encourage you to do so. If you are not a Canadian you might want to dig around and find out what similar legislation might be in the works for your country. If you are truly asset managers, then take charge. Don't let others do it for you.
