What I learned in Brentwood: caring for people in a broken system

Jun 3

On Sunday, I had the chance to hear from a panel of healthcare workers in New Hampshire. The group spanned a broad range: among them were nurses, pharmacists, administrators, nutritionists, and doctors varying from family physicians to surgeons. It was a privilege to hear directly from providers about their work and their views on what we could be doing differently to care for our communities.

While everyone in attendance agreed that a universal single-payer healthcare system could provide better outcomes and address some of the most glaring issues with our healthcare system, what was really special about this group was the ideas they shared about how we can get there. A universal single-payer system is a vision which will take years to achieve: building consensus in Washington and working with providers to create a new healthcare system without creating disruptions in care isn’t the type of thing that happens overnight. But that doesn’t mean that we can kick the can down the road until that day comes.

This conversation opened my eyes, not only to healthcare providers’ perspectives on the failings of our current system and the benefits of Medicare for All, but to what we can do today to reduce the burden on healthcare workers, lower costs, and increase access in the Granite State while working towards a single-payer system. Things like passing legislation to standardize administrative processes currently dictated by insurance companies, ensuring continuity of care so employment changes don't disrupt access to medications, and reviewing burdensome standards for documentation which take providers away from patients could make a huge difference to our strained healthcare system and workers.

I am so grateful for the conversations I’ve had in this race so far, and I’ve grown so much more confident in our ability to bring about a better system when we listen to each other. It’s been an honor to hear so many stories from our essential healthcare workers, and I look forward to staying in conversation with you all. See you on the trail!