Health care is meant to heal, but what if it’s quietly doing the opposite? While we rely on medical professionals, hospitals, and treatments to keep us healthy, the system has hidden dangers that can put lives at risk. For every life saved, countless others are harmed due to systemic failures, personal oversight, or deep-rooted inequities.
This article will examine ten critical reasons why health care can become deadly and, more importantly, how to protect yourself and your loved ones. Each point is backed by research and real-life experiences, highlighting the complex ways in which health care can fail. Some of these will shock you, but number five might leave you speechless.
1. Providers don’t listen: the consequences of ignored voices
Communication is at the heart of adequate health care, yet studies repeatedly show that communication breakdowns cause medical errors. According to a report by Joint Commission International, communication failures are implicated in 80 percent of serious adverse health outcomes. When providers fail to listen to their patients, symptoms are missed, diagnoses are delayed, and lives are at risk.
For example, women and minority patients often report feeling dismissed or ignored when describing their pain or symptoms. Research from the National Library of Medicine found that physicians were more likely to underestimate the pain levels of Black patients compared to non-Black patients. The consequences of such dismissals can be catastrophic, resulting in undiagnosed conditions or preventable deaths.
What to do: Patients should be encouraged to ask questions and advocate for their care, while providers should prioritize active listening. Health care institutions can enhance patient-provider communication by implementing specialized training programs.
2. Financial barriers: When affordability determines survival
Health care is a basic human need, yet it’s an unaffordable luxury for many. The United States spends more on health care than any other nation, yet millions remain uninsured or underinsured. A 2022 KFF Health Care Debt survey found that 41 percent of adults had medical debt or delayed care due to costs. The result? People skipping doctor visits, stretching prescriptions, or delaying treatments—often with devastating consequences.
Chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension require consistent management, but financial strain forces many to make impossible choices. Missing an insulin dose or postponing a routine check-up might seem small at the moment, but over time, it can lead to severe complications like kidney failure, amputations, or strokes. No one should have to choose between their health and their finances.
What to do: Policymakers must prioritize equitable health care reforms that make medical care more affordable and accessible for all. No one should have to choose between paying for treatment and meeting basic needs. On a personal level, patients can take charge by seeking financial aid programs, low-cost clinics, and community health resources. Many hospitals, nonprofit organizations, and local health departments provide assistance to help ease the burden of medical expenses.
3. Advocacy: Why having a strong ally matters
Navigating health care can be overwhelming, especially when you’re unwell or caring for a loved one. Complicated medical terms, treatment decisions, and endless paperwork can leave you feeling lost. That’s why having a trusted advocate—a family member, friend, or professional—can be invaluable. They help ensure your voice is heard, ask the right questions, and keep important details from being overlooked.
Studies show that patient advocacy improves health outcomes, particularly for vulnerable groups like older adults and those with chronic illnesses. When a trusted advocate is involved, communication improves, mistakes are reduced, and patients receive more coordinated, effective care.
Advocates also serve as a check against errors. For instance, a 2016 analysis published in The BMJ found that medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States, after heart disease and cancer. Having someone present to question unusual decisions or double-check medication orders can mean the difference between life and death.
What to do: Patients should bring a trusted advocate to critical appointments. Health care systems should integrate patient advocates into their care teams to improve oversight and coordination.
4. Ignorance of medical history: the silent killer
Your medical history is more than a record of past illnesses—it’s a critical guide that helps doctors make the best decisions for your health. Without it, they’re left guessing, which can lead to misdiagnoses, ineffective treatments, or even severe complications.
Undiagnosed conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or genetic disorders can remain silent for years, only to surface suddenly—often in life-threatening situations.
Consider hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a genetic condition that often goes undiagnosed until it causes sudden cardiac arrest. A 2020 study in the American College of Cardiology found that in the United States, 750,000 people are estimated to have HCM; however, only approximately 100,000 people have been diagnosed, signifying a significant gap in the recognition and understanding of this disease. Without knowledge of this condition, routine procedures or physical exertion can become lethal.
What to do: Patients should keep a thorough medical history, including any family health conditions, and provide this information to their doctors. In turn, health care providers should take the initiative to ask about possible hereditary risks or undiagnosed issues.
5. Profits over patients: When business decisions turn deadly
Health care is supposed to be about saving lives, but too often, money comes first. Hospitals, insurance companies, and private investors make decisions that aren’t based on what’s best for patients—but on what’s best for their bottom line. And when profits take priority over people, the consequences can be deadly.
Take Luigi Mangione. He got so fed up with the system that he allegedly went after a health care CEO. Now, that’s not the way to handle things, but can you really blame people for being furious? Imagine being sick, scared, and desperate for help, only to be told, “Sorry, that’s not covered,” or “That’ll be thousands of dollars upfront.” It’s frustrating. It’s unfair. And the worst part? It happens to people every single day.
This frustration isn’t unfounded—research supports it. A study published on Research Gate found that hospitals focused on maximizing profits were less likely to invest in improving care. As a result, patients faced higher death rates, more medical errors, and worse overall health outcomes.
We see it all the time. Overworked nurses, short-staffed hospitals, and life-saving treatments denied by insurance companies—all to cut costs. Patients are left waiting for hours in overcrowded ERs, battling insurance companies for necessary treatments, or getting rushed out of the hospital before they’re ready—all because someone, somewhere, decided that saving money was more important than saving lives.
What to do: Advocate for transparency in health care. Support legislative efforts to hold corporations accountable for prioritizing patient care over profits.
6. Exhaustion and burnout among physicians
Physicians are human, not machines—but the way many are treated, you’d think otherwise. The pressure is relentless, the hours are gruelling, and the emotional toll is staggering. It’s no surprise that more than half of physicians are experiencing burnout. A 2023 Medscape report found that 53 percent of doctors struggle with emotional exhaustion, feeling disconnected from their patients, and a deep sense of personal failure.
But burnout doesn’t just hurt doctors—it puts patients at risk, too. A study from Stanford University School of Medicine found that physicians suffering from burnout are twice as likely to make medical errors. And in medicine, a single mistake can mean the difference between life and death.
Imagine an exhausted surgeon misjudging a critical incision. A sleep-deprived ER doctor missing the signs of a life-threatening condition. A physician is so overwhelmed that they miss a medication interaction that could cause serious harm. These aren’t just hypothetical scenarios—they happen every day.
Nowhere is this risk more apparent than in high-stakes environments like the ICU, where a split-second decision can save—or cost—a life. When doctors are stretched too thin and running on fumes, patients suffer the consequences.
What to do: Health care institutions must prioritize physician well-being by enforcing reasonable work hours and providing mental health resources. Patients should feel empowered to ask about their provider’s capacity and seek care elsewhere if red flags arise.
7. Bias in health care: the deadly impact of inequity
Bias in health care—whether implicit or explicit—kills. A study published in The Lancet highlighted stark disparities in maternal mortality rates, with Black women in the U.S. dying at three to four times the rate of white women. These disparities are driven by systemic racism, unconscious bias, and unequal access to care.
Bias in health care goes beyond race. Women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities often face being dismissed, misdiagnosed, or undertreated. Whether it’s a woman’s pain being ignored, an LGBTQ+ patient experiencing discrimination, or a person with disabilities struggling to access proper care, the consequences are severe—delayed treatment, poorer health outcomes, and, in some cases, preventable deaths.
What to do: Providers should commit to continuous bias training and work towards offering care that is fair and inclusive. At the same time, patients can seek out providers dedicated to inclusivity and actively support efforts to reform the health care system.
8. Health care deserts: the dead zones of medicine
Living far from health care facilities can turn a treatable condition into a death sentence. These areas lack sufficient medical resources, known as health care deserts, forcing residents to travel hours for basic or emergency care. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 60 million Americans live in rural areas with limited access to hospitals or specialists.
For conditions like heart attacks or strokes, where every minute counts, these delays can be deadly. The absence of preventive care in these areas also leads to higher rates of chronic illnesses and premature deaths.
What to do: Get behind efforts to improve health care access in rural areas—things like telemedicine programs and mobile clinics can make a huge difference. And if you live where medical help isn’t readily available, learning some basic first aid and emergency procedures is a good idea. You never know when it might come in handy.
9. The pandemic effect: Avoiding hospitals at all costs
The COVID-19 pandemic showed how dangerous fear and overloaded health care systems can be. In 2020, hospital visits for heart attacks and strokes plummeted by nearly 30 percent, according to a study in JAMA Cardiology. Many avoided hospitals because they feared getting infected, while others were turned away because hospitals were overwhelmed. These delays in treatment led to preventable deaths and made outcomes worse for so many patients.
What to do: Governments and health care organizations must build stronger systems to handle future pandemics. At the same time, patients should think twice before delaying medical care and talk to their doctors about safer options during public health crises.
10. Denial of modern medicine: Why childhood vaccines matter
Modern medicine has done an incredible job of getting rid of diseases that used to wreak havoc, but doubt and hesitation let them slip back in. Take polio—it used to paralyze thousands of people every year in the U.S. alone. Then, thanks to vaccines, it was wiped out in the Americas by 1994. Problem solved, right? Not exactly. Vaccine skepticism is undoing decades of progress, and in 2022, New York saw its first polio case in ages. Even worse, tests on wastewater showed the virus was already spreading under the radar.
This isn’t just about personal choice—it’s about protecting entire communities. Herd immunity keeps the most vulnerable safe, especially people who cannot physically get vaccinated. But when fewer people get their shots, those safety nets unravel, and outbreaks become unavoidable.
What to do: Embrace the role of vaccines in safeguarding public health. Educate communities about the life-saving history of childhood immunizations to combat misinformation and rebuild trust.
Final thoughts: Fixing the system
Health care doesn’t have to be deadly. We can create a safer, more equitable system by addressing these ten issues with systemic reforms, education, and advocacy. It starts with all of us—patients, providers, and policymakers—working together to ensure that health care fulfills its ultimate promise: healing, not harming.
Tomi Mitchell is a board-certified family physician and certified health and wellness coach with extensive experience in clinical practice and holistic well-being. She is also an acclaimed international keynote speaker and a passionate advocate for mental health and physician well-being. She leverages over a decade of private practice experience to drive meaningful change.
Dr. Mitchell is the founder of Holistic Wellness Strategies, where she empowers individuals through comprehensive, evidence-based approaches to well-being. Her career is dedicated to transforming lives by addressing personal challenges and enhancing relationships with practical, holistic strategies.
Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, and book a discovery call to explore how she can support your wellness journey. For those interested in purchasing her book, please click here for the payment link. Check out her YouTube channel for more insights and valuable content on mental health and well-being.