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Perfect storm: Why churches should think twice about offering health screenings
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Published: September 5, 2008
Some of you will recall The Truman Show, a movie made in 1998 in which Jim Carrey played the role of an insurance salesman whose entire life was an elaborately staged television show. Truman's life was orchestrated by those who sought to profit from this hoax. Despite suspecting that there must be a reality unknown to him, Truman was constantly reassured that his life was comfortable and that there was no need to consider truth outside of his illusion.
The movie is a great satire of how we are so easily trapped in illusions orchestrated by those who seek to profit from our lack of understanding, our greed and our fear.
In a similar way the health-care industry has trapped many folks in cleverly created illusions — a situation that costs us dearly.
This assertion is highlighted in a recent article in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), June 18. "A 'perfect storm' occurs when a confluence of many factors or events — no one of which alone is particularly devastating — creates a catastrophic force. Such confluence is rare and devastating. Over time and through disconnected events, US health care has evolved into a 'perfect storm' that drives overutilization and increases the cost of health care ... The United States spends substantially more per person on health care than any other country, and yet U.S. health outcomes are the same as or worse than those in other countries." (Ezekiel J. Emanuel, MD, PhD and Victor R. Fuchs, PhD, Vol 299, No. 23, p. 2789f)
The authors identify seven factors which combine to form this storm, but they missed one that I think has more than just financial consequences: local churches employing "health screenings" as part of their "outreach."
It is most likely that this trend in area churches is a result of well intentioned folks trying to extend a "service" to the community; however, this naive approach is actually becoming a part of the storm.
The medical industry creates the illusion that we help people by finding things wrong with them before symptoms occur. Unfortunately, there is often no supporting scientific evidence. In fact, recent evidence shows that routine ultrasound screenings of various parts of the body do not usually lead to better outcomes and sometimes can cause harm. In fact there is no hard evidence at this point that screening for prostate cancer adds a day to any man's life, but it may lead to worse outcomes in the elderly. So when churches offer health-care screenings unaware of current medical recommendations not to, they are aiding the health-care industry in profiting from orchestrated illusions at the expense of those they intended to "serve."
The fallout is many fold. When a person learns that they wasted the $120 or so on unnecessary screens, the church loses credibility and compromises the truth it claims to protect and promote — the gospel. Overutilization of medical resources occurs often as a result of these screenings, and some folks are actually harmed by further testing and treatments for innocent abnormalities which would never have produced illness.
On a more positive note, there is a factor in the medical field with which local churches could team up and make a positive difference — Hospice care. Hospice helps those who, like Truman, finally discover the truth. They are at the end of life and realize that after all is said and done (and spent), the illusions that the health care industry could save their lives or prevent their deaths have faded. Hospice helps them accept this reality and with a palliative touch aids them along the journey.
Teams from churches could help with encouraging visits (much like what Jesus had in mind to do for those who are sick) and giving respite to care givers. Youth should be encouraged to participate, thereby obtaining a realistic and biblical perspective of life and death. This type of service might actually help free us from the health care industry's illusions — now and for generations to come.
Kerry Byrd, MD, of Valdese Family Practice may be reached at BCBC@directus.net.
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