Weighing An Ounce Of Healthcare Prevention

"In all the ways the Obama administration and others are proposing to cut healthcare costs, including a single-payer option, limiting malpractice claims, and increased use and uniformity of electronic medical records, there is one that everyone - patients and doctors both - can utilize immediately: preventative health. The next time you talk to a doctor, ask ‘How much of what you see in a day is preventable?’ Whether the doctor is an internist, cardiologist, endocrinologist, or orthopedist, you may be surprised by the answer. I am not suggesting that if we just took better care of ourselves we would eliminate the need for a medical profession, but preventing illness has always been less expensive and more effective than trying to treat it. And the biggest threats to our health are largely preventable: heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/07/06/weighing_an_ounce_of_healthcare_prevention/