🤯 Why Healthcare Feels So Confusing—And Why It’s Not Your Fault
Jan 26, 2026Have you ever left a medical appointment feeling unsettled—unsure of the decision that was made, unclear about next steps, or wondering if you asked the right questions? You are not alone.
This scenario happens to people who are intelligent, capable, proactive every single day. It even happened to me as I went through my cancer diagnosis.
Healthcare confusion is not a personal failing. It is a system issue.
Our healthcare system is not designed for clarity. Instead, it is designed for speed, volume, and documentation. This often leaves patients to absorb complex information. Imagine having to do this whilst oftentimes not only feeling unwell (that's the main reason you went in to see a healthcare professional, right?) but perhaps also experiencing stress and uncertainty.
No one teaches you how to navigate this. And yet, you ARE often made to feel like you should know how to do this.
❌ The Healthcare System Is Designed for Throughput
Throughput is the ability of a healthcare system to efficiently move a high volume of patients through appointments, testing, and treatment. The success of the healthcare system is often measured by speed, volume, and documentation requirements rather than by how well patients understand what is happening or feel prepared to make decisions.
Because of these demands, many healthcare systems today operate under intense pressure. The result is shorter medical appointments and healthcare providers managing packed schedules. In short, the systems are designed to prioritize efficiency, billing requirements, and risk mitigation.
Throughput also results in care getting siloed and fragmented across different specialties. Due to time constraints imposed by the system, a provider may only see part of the whole picture. And even though patients may have access to test results through the portal, they may not have access to the interpretation of those results made by the ordering provider. Recommendations may conflict between providers, not because anyone is careless, but because it is an onerous task, even for a well-meaning primary care physician, to comprehend the whole story of their patients.
This leaves the patient to connect the dots on their own—often without realizing that's what's happening.
🤔 Why "Just Ask Questions" Isn't Enough
Patients are frequently told to "advocate for themselves" or "just ask questions." While well-intentioned, this advice ignores what is actually happening in the exam room, and going in to see a healthcare provider can be STRESSFUL. Many people approach going to the doctor with fear and trepidation.
And once in the exam room, many patients freeze—not because they lack intelligence, but because their nervous system is overwhelmed. Stress affects cognition. Fear narrows focus. And time pressure silences curiosity.
Add to that the medical terminology, hierarchical dynamics, and the emotional weight of illness, and it becomes clear why so many people leave appointments feeling overwhelmed, confused, and even defeated. And then what do they do next? They go to Google, and you all know it never provides the best outcomes, right?
This adds feelings of disempowerment and a downward spiral.
💡 Information Is Not the Same as Navigation
Healthcare systems are excellent at providing information. Patient portals overflow with lab results, imaging reports, and visit summaries.
But information without interpretation often increases anxiety.
Navigation, however, is different. Navigation helps to answer questions like:
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What matters most right now?
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What can wait?
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What decision actually needs to be made—and when?
- What is the next step?
🔎 What Health Advocacy Actually Does
Independent health advocacy is a relatively new field, and it exists because the system does not reliably provide the synthesis many patients need.
An independent health advocate can help clarify the medical landscape, organize care across providers, prepare for appointments, and translate medical language into real-world decisions.
Health advocacy restores agency by helping patients understand what is happening, what options exist, and how to move forward without panic or paralysis.
Needing support navigating healthcare does not mean you are incapable. It simply means you are being proactive in taking your healthcare into your hands.
As an experienced physician, I bring my clinical expertise to the field of advocacy to help my clients feel empowered and heard as they navigate their healthcare.
✋🏾 It's NOT you, here's what you CAN do.....
If your healthcare or that of a loved one feels confusing right now, pause before blaming yourself.
You don't need to become medically fluent overnight. And you certainly don't need to figure everything out on your own.
Sometimes the most powerful step is allowing someone to help you make sense of what matters the most.
If you are feeling overwhelmed or unclear about your care (or that of a loved one), I offer a FREE 30-minute Discovery Call designed to see if I can help you gain clarity and direction. There is absolutely no pressure or commitment to work with me.
👉Click on this link and schedule a call with me TODAY.
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