Songs that Could Lower Healthcare Costs by Billions
September 11, 2009
As healthcare costs spiral out of control, one singing medical doctor has staged a musical intervention.
Dr. Mache Seibel, a professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, has created a musical approach to health education known as HealthRock. Specifically, he writes and sings award-winning songs that teach people how to stay healthy. In order to reach out to different demographic groups, he uses a variety of musical genres that range from gospel to pop.
According to Dr. Seibel, 90% of diseases are avoidable. The problem, he says, is that 90 million American adults--and most American children--are health illiterate. In other words, they don't know how to keep themselves and their family members well. In addition to poor health, health illiteracy often leads to additional spending on healthcare.
For example, obesity is an avoidable condition. Yet a study released this summer showed that obesity alone is responsible for over 9% of all U.S. health care spending. Accordingly, Dr. Seibel has written songs like the "Phat Fat Rap," "Exercise," and "Don't Be Afraid of a Squash" to educate the public about actions that can help maintain good health.
Likewise, as students return to schools and universities, Dr. Seibel is focused on preventing additional H1N1 cases. As part of his quest to keep the country well, he has visited venues as varied as the Centers for Disease Control and elementary schools to encourage healthy behaviors. As part of his efforts, he has written and performed catchy songs about hand washing and nose- and mouth-covering techniques.
A professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Dr. Seibel says he focuses on prevention because "it's better to stay well than to get well." Indeed, preventing problems as diverse as obesity and H1N1 would help Americans increase their life spans and reduce healthcare spending.
As Dr. Seibel says, "If you can sing about it, you can talk about it. If you can talk about it, you can act on it." That is how his songs could improve public health and reduce the public's spending on healthcare.
###
Author Amy Seibel
