The U.S. Healthcare System is Broken and will get Worse
The U.S. has the lowest life expectancy at birth, the highest death rates for avoidable or treatable conditions, the highest maternal and infant mortality, and among the highest suicide rates.
The U.S. has the highest rate of people with multiple chronic conditions and an obesity rate nearly twice the OECD average.
Physicians are getting out! 74% plan on retiring early due to burnout. The US is projected to have a shortage of 68,020 full-time equivalent primary care physicians by 2036, which will be especially severe in non-metro areas.
A recent systematic review on lifestyle medicine curricula in undergraduate medical education identified 23 curricular examples, averaging less than 14 hours in total. As a result, lifestyle medicine is not yet standard of care for most physicians.
The average wait for an appointment with a physician for new patients is 26 days.
The average of number of medications taken daily and forever in the US to treat chronic disease is 6
Our Lifestyles and Environment make us sick. It does not always kill us, but it makes us sick enough to rely on the pharmaceutical industry forever!
Incidence of Obesity and Diabetes - 71.6%
The percentage of US citizens that are overweight or obese in 2024 - 50%
The percentage of children in the US that are overweight or obese - 30%
Percent of children with Prediabetes. In the 1950’s 1% of Americans had Diabetes - 18%
The number of people in the United States with Diabetes or Pre-Diabetes in 2020 – 165 million
The percentage of people in the US with Diabetes or Prediabetes - 50%
The percent increase in patients with Diabetes from 1994-2024 - 300%
Percent of women are on antidepressants - 25%
The increase in deaths due to Alzheimer’s Disease doubled between 2000 and 2021 - 141%
Percentage of infants with Autism – 28%
Sperm Counts in men have declined 1% a year since 1970
11% of women and 9% of men of childbearing age who has infertility issues
The number of couples expected to encounter problems when attempting to have a baby by 2025 - 10 million couples
Economic, Workforce and Kentucky State Budget Implications of Excess Weight in 2023 - $2,700,000,000
Money spent on Healthcare in 2023 to treat obesity and obesity related disease in Kentucky - $790,000,000
The percentage of Kentuckians that are obese – The 6th highest in the United States. The age group most affected by obesity in Kentucky is 45-64 (38.2%), followed by those 25 to 44 (42.5%)Kentucky ranks seventh in adults with Type 2 Diabetes (12.9%) - 48.8%
The rate of increase for medical costs each year has been increasing since 2000, significantly outpacing the 2.85% annual increase in GDP - 4.85%
The amount of reduction in all-cause mortality is associated with basic lifestyle behaviors such as maintaining an ideal body weight, exercise, proper sleep, reduced alcohol intake and stress management - 70%
Nearly 90% of all Disease is caused by everyday lifestyle behaviors
The number of years men and women live longer on average by adopting the top five healthy lifestyle habits by age 50 - 15 - 17 years
“The Future of Healthcare must be different – We have no choice! I imagine a new model where results matter. I imagine a model that has new metrics to determine success. I have a vision for healthcare that promotes improved access to your physician, a focus on prevention over reaction, an emphasis on metabolic health over chronic disease management, a prolonged health span free of disease and disability over a model that focuses on a reliance on chronic medications promoted by the pharmaceutical industry and an attempt to extend life that is filled with suffering, disability, and dependence.”
Don’t apologize for wanting your healthcare to reflect the same standards that guide how you live your life, run your business, and care for your family. Our patients value precision, excellence, and a refined experience in every aspect of what they do—and their health should be no exception. We believe healthcare should embody the same level of intentionality and sophistication people expect elsewhere: results-driven, proactive, and delivered with the warmth and polish of true hospitality. For us, wellness is not transactional; it’s a lifestyle—one that deserves a premium experience and measurable outcomes.
“I want to break down the barriers that prevent people from receiving life optimizing care and dispel the myths perpetuated by traditional healthcare organizations and providers. We (society) are at an inflexion point. We can no longer afford to put our heads in the sand and pretend that our system of reactive care is effective. Patients have never been sicker, more frustrated, and more lost. I imagine a model that puts a premium on the patient’s experience and allows patients to feel comfortable in a collaborative environment. My model allows for a more fluid relationship between patients and providers by improving accessibility and making well care the norm for interaction. Society is ready for something new, something fresh, something that works. I imagine an approach to primary care that is different – Lifestyle based care that empowers patients to feel in control of their health. I imagine a model less dependent upon expensive insurance, expensive testing, expensive treatment with no obvious metrics for success. Change is hard. Medicine is a big business. The Healthcare Industrial Complex thrives on chronic disease management. I, for one, have had enough of watching from the sidelines. Now, more than ever, patients need the principles concierge lifestyle medicine.”
John Marshall Mullins, MD