Rebecca Onie: What if our healthcare system kept us healthy?

http://www.ted.com Rebecca Onie asks audacious questions: What if waiting rooms were a place to improve daily health care? What if doctors could prescribe food, housing and heat in the winter? At TEDMED she describes Health Leads, an organization that does just that -- and does it by building a volunteer base as elite and dedicated as a college sports team.

TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Featured speakers have included Al Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on observing her own stroke, Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child, Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, Bill Gates on malaria and mosquitoes, Pattie Maes on the "Sixth Sense" wearable tech, and "Lost" producer JJ Abrams on the allure of mystery. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. Closed captions and translated subtitles in a variety of languages are now available on TED.com, at http://www.ted.com/translate

If you have questions or comments about this or other TED videos, please go to http://support.ted.com

• Category

  Science & Technology

[Danni Feveile Börm]

American views on Health Care is warped. I can't believe you could even remotely classify this talk as political. There's nothing in her idea that anyone in their right mind would object to, no matter their political conviction. She's saying: Peoples health issues is better prevented than treated and that you have to look at the whole picture. I wish for all americans to live with us for a time in a free health care system (not perfect, but still). They would go: Oh, silly us, and never go back.

[Huntingthespy]

In order for any of this to work, humanity would need more empathy for itself, not happening. It's easily taken advantage of, its an extra expense and it needs to be protected, which won't happen in a world filled with trolls and troll breeders. Welcome to a world that adjusts to the lowest common denominator.

Darwin is out to lunch.

[ivoteforpedrosanchez]

The law says they have to be stabilized. They do not have to be treated pased stabilization. That's EMTALA. And the hospital has to be receiving Medicaid funding. IF they do not, then they do not have to treat people.

[NextLvlBeats]

yeah!



[Austin Clark]

Anyone here for RHS?

[Spaceisprettybig]

The irony of America is, for a country that hold creationism with such high regard, we have a very darwinistic method for dealing with the needy...

[Cyla McKaine]

If your idea of getting medical care is only in emergency situations then you need to visit the ER yourself.

[michealsoft72]

And there aren't sick people going untreated in the "greatest country in the world." If they go to an ER, its the law that they must be treated. Our sick have had access to care for years; the difference between our countries is that our media and left wing politicians lie about it constantly.

[michealsoft72]

Accusing one of not caring, small minded trick that is. Not ready for the burden of thinking are you.

[TheShorterboy]

You can't get low wages if people aren't starving and afraid, feeding the poor endangers the capitalist system.

[955456878754]

@Daltonius1 Well if it is based on money, then reverse the situation, pay doctors and health professionals when people are healthy / well, if your patient is sick, you get paid less, or not paid at all. Simple idea, in practice it may be more difficult to turn into reality

[Daltonius1]

Nice one :)