Holistic policy making? (is that an oxymoron?)

Off late there has been a lot of news about Germany opening up to highly skilled Indian work force to address the skills gap in the country. In the last 4.5 years I have been in Germany, I have seen an increasing number of Indians relocating here.

Germany encourages these foreigners to learn the language and even offers ‘integration’ courses to learn more about the country and its culture. I highly appreciate these programs.

However, with my recent experiences with the German health system (which again relatively speaking is good), I wondered what about these systems becoming sensitive to the cultures and needs of these foreigners?

I use the word, ‘sensitize’ carefully because I do not expect whole systems to gain deep understanding of every different nationality that lives in Germany. But I do believe some basic level of sensitization (accepting diversity in the society) should go a long way.

• E.g. A sister in the University of Heidelberg Hospital (the best and most internationally diverse in Germany) will be able to find a vein in dark skin more easily without pricking me 4 times before she finally finds some blood. Only an experienced doctor gets it right the first time.

The health insurance company agrees to fund the expenses for the donor, including flight tickets, accommodation if required etc. Appreciate it. 

The kind of family orientation we have in India, there is no chance that just a patient and the donor will walk into a hospital to get a major surgery done on them. 

No an Insurance company need not spend for a big fat Indian family to fly over, however maybe some schemes/ some % can be worked out to HELP the immediate family (parents/spouse)?

A clear win-win for the German health system would be if along with opening doors for highly skilled work force of India, also sign up on collaborative health care with India (and other countries that bring tis work force). If the public health insurance system can fund for medical care anywhere in Europe, the only reason it doesn’t fund for medical care in India is because there is no official policy level agreement between the two countries.

• IMAGINE: German health officials ‘certify’ a few hospitals in every big city of India for their standard of healthcare and collaborates with them…. if this Indian work force living in Germany chooses, they can seek medical care (especially for big complicated issues) in their home country, get their family support, be in familiar environment…and be covered with the health insurance, it would be so much cheaper for the German system and satisfying for the patients.

As always, policy makers rarely think holistic. If only they did and explore possibilities, the world would indeed be more flat than it currently is.

Yes, I cannot help but think like a Design Thinker – even when I am sick. The world is full of ‘wicked problems’ to be solved and therefore full of opportunities.