The positive side of Covid-19; from “ILLNESScare to HEALTHcare”

About 20 years ago I wrote an article about my vision on modern healthcare with the title “What if dinosaurs would still be alive”. Basically it came down to three observations:

1. In modern society human beings are on top of the food chain and do not have any predators above them. Therefore there is no direct life threat if we walk out the door.

2. As we don’t have to be physically and mentally strong to fight or flight from any predators to survive, our health status is of minor importance. This results in a sedentary life where poor alimentary choices are possible without consequences.

3. Our healthcare system is completely in line with the above observations: we receive medical care when we have problems in health. I believe the term “illnesscare” would be a proper name for the way our system works.

Over the last 20 years I can’t say things improved; with most countries spending only a very small amount of their healthcare budget on prevention and great medical advances on diverse treatments like cancer, we are even more focussed on “cure” than ever. Simultaneously, the widespread use of computers and mobile devices have made sedentary life even worse. 

Nowadays it’s perfectly possible to get out of bed, walk to a desk or sofa and spend your entire day without the need to move. Work can be done digitally from home and even your shopping and dinner can be delivered to your door. So why am I talking about this article again? It might be that Covid-19 and possible other viruses can be our new dinosaurs. What if we really see COVID as a constant threat to our lives? What if we really start focussing on the factors of why people have more risk of getting severe complaints or even die? 

Several research projects showed that people with overweight and a lower self defense auto immune system (e.j. elderly, smokers, heavy drinkers and chronic depressions) have a higher risk. Probably the same group of people that would be dinosaurs pray if they would still be chairing us...and these risk groups are more and more present in Europe. 

For more in-depth information you can read the following presentation: https://www.oecd.org/health/health-systems/Health-at-a-Glance-Europe-2018-CHARTSET.pdf

Wouldn’t it be logical to learn something from this and start focusing more on real HEALTH care; putting CARE over CURE?? At Healthcare Barcelona, we believe in this. Obviously we are very happy to help you in case of need with existing complaints and injuries but we love to put your current health as our priority. Helping you to take care of your physical and mental health by screening (done by an English speaking doctor who knows you and your way of life), positive advice on alimentation and movement, coaching to reduce stress and more.

With a better health and immune system you will be better prepared when a virus comes along to attack you...just imagine it being a dinosaur…

Koen Willems

Director of Healthcare Barcelona

Physiotherapist, trainer & mental coach