What will be the future of the health professional A.P. DANSO

THE TIMES The Times that we live in – difficult times. In difficult times it is easy to combat the Now And go through the PRESENT AND forget the Future

Strategic life plan Every human being needs a stategic life plan But not everyone has it The Majority do not have it.

What is a strategic life plan A map of your goals And to quote Jack Canfield this must be Specific Measureable Achievable Realistic and Time bound

Specific Food and shelter and family upkeep Roof over the head Upkeep of family Retire as a simple average citizen

Measurable After years of Practice my pension will be xyz With that I shall live comfortably Forty years after looking after patients I shall be able to look after myself both as a RETIREE and as a PATIENT !

ACHIEVABLE I will work hard to be able to achieve an average simple life style retire in dignity And in peace of mind

Realistic To be able to live above the poverty line Educate children in good schools Live reasonably well Live without financial stress –fear of the failure to achieve the above

TIME-BOUND Is the medical professional able to say after forty years of service to the community I AM RETIRING PEACEFULLY WITHOUT STRESS.

The real QUESTION? CAN THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL SAY SO TODAY ? I am retiring ( at what age ? ) With financial security ?

LESSONS LEARNT ? Unless a shift is obtained, the profession will continue to be : UNATTRACTIVE TO PROSPECTIVE YOUNGSTERS AND THE FUTURE LOOKS BLEAK. OUR SPECIE WILL BE EXTINCT

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNT FROM HISTORY World wide the pre-war health care system was built around the SOLO PRACTITIONER The sick person received a doctor’s service and was paid by patient out of his pocket. The hospital was a primitive institution offering hotel service

What have we learnt from history ? A certain amount of equipment unavailable at the doctors office was in the hospital Doctor were spread throughout their countries and they tended to be wealthier So they could also exert political pressure on the political system

What has history taught us ? In our country ZIMA was the voice of the Nation’s doctors It has power, it had clout TODAY IT IS DIFFERENT. THERE IS A BIG SHIFT

What has history taught us ? Today there is a steep decline in the role of the solo practitioner both in delivery of medical care and in Medical power structure The solo practitioner is no more at the heart of the new system WORLD WIDE

WHY THE SHIFT ? Why the shift of the centre of the medical gravity ? Because of change in Technology Because of change in Financing Because of change in Prestige structure of the medical profession

A NEW SYSTEM With expanding technology of patient care, doctors can’t stock their offices with Laparoscopic towers, Robotic towers and other expensive new tools. Technology has made hospitals very important But it is actually the growth of health insurance plans which have even given more prominence to hospitals

A NEW SYSTEM Doctors depend on hospitals, Hospitals have become dependent on large university Centres And Research centres Universities are changing faces for example the UZ will have to affiliate or adopt private institutions to help train Radiologists / Endoscopists etc.

THE EMPIRE MEDICAL EMPIRE =health commodities, Technology and Equipment Industries Doctors Patients Institutions =hospitals and med schools

So what has happened After 30-years of practice, where will you be? Can you retire peacefully ? Have you cushioned yourself properly financially ? Can you afford an average lifestyle ? Do you have a retirement INCOME ? Can you make ENDS MEET ?????????? Compare with the other mates at university !!!!

Medical empire So the solo doctor cannot remain the EMPEROR. ( cannot dictate ) The patient is not the EMPEROR The funder is not the EMPEROR SO WHO IS THE EMPEROR

What does the future hold Group practices Small units of investment groups Learn to invest in Service –medsolve, west End clinic etc BUT ABOVE ALL LET US HAVE A GLOBAL AN ALL ENCOMPASSING ZIMA LED ANNUITY FUND? Don’t chase money, Money follows only one thing !!!!!. Let us plan together.

For the individual Our hope is a big general ANNUITY FUND Aertze kammer as obtains in Germany Old mutual could help us out. Otherwise the future remains BLEAK for the solo practitioner. You can’t save enough for a very stress free future !!!

The art of living The art of living is not the how you started it But is buried in a SECRET !!! HOW you finished it. Vita non vitanda sed vivenda