Bureaucracy inefficiency and waste

Why there is so much incompetence.

As someone who has had the misfortune to be compelled to seek public assistance I can write this and tell you what I think is causing all these inefficiencies and incompetence. The amount of wastefulness in our bureaucracies is notorious and it should be eliminated.

A system that is streamlined and efficient could easily be obtained if we use common sense and step into the 21^st century. What is causing all this red tape and waste is that the system was designed in the 20^th century and those employed by it are still clinging on to a philosophy of pushing paper; paperwork for this, for that, for the other. We have within our reach and in our resources modern technologies that would enable us to have a central data bank where all the agencies involved in providing health care to the public could have access providing all the information that is needed.

Instead of having to go to 4 different interviews for eligigility, qualification, treatment and dispensation of medicines an applicant can do one interview, very thorough and very complete and it could be the basis for all the other up-to date information to be added to it. For example: when the laboratory results come in, they should post them in this central document. When the doctor examines the patient, the doctor’s comments would be included, the medicines prescribed entered and that will mean that the department that dispenses this medicines would also have access to this.

As it stands right now, where I live there is no such procedure. The last century is very much alive and well in these government offices and those employed there are clinging on to their paperwork and the trails they create. They make you jump through all kinds of hoops in order to be eligible for any assistance and when it comes to these interviews; these bureaucrats really don’t care how many times you have to travel to them to meet requirement.

When you are poor it is not always easy to travel distances and it is very expensive and time consuming. It is made worse if you are suffering from an illness that makes you be uncomfortable and subjects you to unnecessary stress.

This kind of situation is widespread; from Medicare to Medicaid, from Veteran’s Administration to Social Security offices. It is a malaise that is slowing down the process and causing a great deal of funds to be wasted. Also, there are endless lines of people in waiting rooms and a cause of a lot of discontent.

Let us enter the new century with an open mind and maintain our dignity and our wits. I suggest that we have central data banks for all these services because we no longer need paper trails.

PHOTO SOURCE:

http://photos.cleveland.com/plain-dealer/2009/06/eye_on_the_nation_monday_june_3.html

http://www.witnessestohunger.org/View-Large-Image/83/photoId__500/

http://www.witnessestohunger.org/View-Large-Image/83/photoId__696/