The Cleveland Clinic’s Big Gamble

When I first started speaking on the Affordable Care Act back in the fall of 2010 one of the observations I liked to make was about needing to change the cost trajectory resulting from chronic disease. I would say something to the effect that, “if we are somehow successful at becoming more efficient, expanding access and affordability – none of it is going to matter if we cannot become a healthier country.” I didn’t have any research or statistics to support my thinking – it just seemed axiomatic given a fundamental understanding of disease incidence, costs and demographics.

My good friend and colleague Dr. Toby Cosgrove, President and CEO of the Cleveland Clinic (okay, so we’ve said hello to one another on a few flights back and forth from Ft. Lauderdale) posted an article on his LinkedIn blog this morning: New Way to Fight Chronic Disease that puts some meat on the bone of my rudimentary understanding of public health. Dr. Cosgrove notes some very basic facts about chronic disease management in the United States.

• The CDC estimates that 75% of all healthcare expenditures in the US are attributable to chronic disease ($2.85 trillion in 2013)
• Almost one out of every two adults (117 million) is afflicted by chronic illness

More information on the impact chronic disease has on our healthcare system can be found on the CDC website.

Dr. Cosgrove’s article introduces the Cleveland Clinic’s recently opened Center for Functional Medicine, which is a collaboration with the Institute for Functional Medicine led by Dr. Mark Hyman. The thematic focus of the Center is to take a more holistic approach to individual health and wellness and driving at the underlying causes of chronic disease – whether related to genetics, environment or lifestyle.

Functional Medicine is not intended to be a replacement of traditional medicine. We aren’t talking about spiritual healing, wild berries and unproven treatment regimens. It is intended to recognize and address the underlying causes of chronic disease that, if effectively addressed, will reduce the need for traditional medicine. But it also should be able to compliment and enhance the effectiveness of traditional medicine.

Given the magnitude of the problem and the impending consequences on our country it is exciting news that a medical institution no less than the Cleveland Clinic has chosen to proactively attack this problem with pragmatism and innovation. That’s the good news. Now here’s the bad: human nature is an incredibly obstinate challenge that isn’t likely to bow in the face of the best efforts of worthy institutions such as the Cleveland Clinic.

Understanding the underlying causes that lead to chronic disease is one thing. Being able to change human behavior in a manner that addresses those causes is quite another altogether. And this tees up a host of moral policy conundrums where we start to look at responsibility of the individual versus society. Demographics will intensify these to a level that I suspect will lead to significant social unrest.

So while I applaud the Cleveland Clinic for taking the bull by the horns in seeking to address this immeasurable challenge facing us, I do hope they understand what happens if they let go.

Cheers,
  Sparky