Health is a funny thing. We rarely think about it until it’s gone. And when we do, it’s often in the context of illness, injury, or crisis.
Healthcare systems have long been structured around reactive care. What if we reimagined healthcare as a proactive force, one that walks alongside people as they move through all the phases of health, not just when something goes wrong.
Many health systems have adopted aspirational branding, using phrases like whole-person care, live fully, or for the love of health. While these ideas resonate, the challenge is turning inspiring slogans into operational realities that are measurable, scalable, and capable of supporting both individual and community health and well-being.
What would have to change from our healthcare systems to function more like a health creation system? What do we already control that would help us move in this direction? And what would it look like if we were as exceptional at promoting well-being as we are at managing crisis care in the emergency or operating room?
Balancing Proactive and Reactive Care
We need both. Great reactive care saves lives - trauma centers, operating rooms, emergency departments, and acute medical interventions are all absolutely necessary.
But we can’t stop there. A truly effective system must also:
✔ Invest in upstream strategies that address risks before crisis hits
✔ Build care models that prioritize and efficiently integrate prevention
✔ Strengthen coordination and continuity of care
Consider what would happen if proactive care was designed with the same level of precision, urgency, and systemic coordination as reactive care. We likely don’t lack the tools or resources. We lack committed efforts amidst the real crisis that is today’s health system.
Leading the World in Health Creation
The real innovation challenge is the reimagination of healthcare itself. What if our value proposition wasn’t just about treating illness but about sustaining and optimizing health?
💡 What if hospitals and health systems were held to the same standard in promoting well-being as they are in emergency medicine?
💡 What if the best health systems weren’t just the ones with the best surgical outcomes—but also the ones with the healthiest populations?
💡 What if we measured success not in procedures performed but in diseases prevented?
None of this is out of reach. We already have the data, the expertise, and the relationships. What’s missing is the system-wide commitment to move from an illness-centered model to a “both and” balanced health and well-being centered one.
Healthcare won’t change overnight, but the systems that embrace this shift will lead the future.
The question is—who will take the first step?
