The dirty truth about American healthcare (and why we built something different)
The System Is Broken. Here’s What We’re Doing About It.
I want to share something with you that I think about every single day as your doctor.
A Harvard researcher recently published a paper in the American Journal of Public Health with a striking title: “Our Greedy Health Care System.” His conclusion? Over the past few decades, American medicine has stopped focusing on your health and started focusing almost entirely on profit, you can see this trend so much as that private equity started buying into healthcare debt. (OMG)!
His words, not mine. But I couldn’t agree more.
What Happened to Healthcare?
The research is sobering. Since the 1980s, the U.S. has spent more on healthcare per person than any other developed nation, by a wide margin. And yet, outcomes haven’t kept pace. Why?
Because the system was quietly redesigned around revenue, not results.
I have been personally told to go faster, spend less time with patients, and only follow algorithms because of metrics. This in theory seems like a wonderful Idea but in real life it hurts the patient and the doctor. Right now, in 2026 Doctors have to see in some areas of medicine more than 20+ patient in an 8-hour workday. Make that make sense? Care disintegrates right here.
As the article puts it:
“These days our treatment follows not scientific guidelines, but the logic of commerce in an imperfect and poorly regulated market… Financial incentives to order more and do more; to default to the most expensive treatment for whatever ails you; drive much of our healthcare.”
The average primary care visit lasts 15 minutes. Fifteen minutes to understand your history, your symptoms, your life, and make decisions that affect your long-term health. That’s not care. That’s a conveyor belt. Let’s not leave out completing our notes and finalizing scripts or any orders needed to complete the patient’s needs.
Why We Built Austin Medicine Differently
I became a doctor to be a healer, not a billing code.
That’s why Austin Medicine was built on a completely different model; one where your health, not the system’s bottom line, comes first.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
45-minute appointments: because your story deserves to be heard in full.
Direct access: to our care team no gatekeepers, no hold music.
Root-cause medicine: we don’t just treat symptoms; we find out why they’re happening.
Advanced diagnostics: comprehensive hormone panels, microbiome testing, genetic analysis, and more.
A doctor who knows you: your history, your goals, your life.
We’re not chasing volume. We’re building long-term partnerships with people who are ready to stop surviving and start thriving.
The Change Starts With You
The article ends with a powerful statement: “Only the people can reclaim it.”
We believe that too. Every person who chooses a model like ours is a vote for a better kind of healthcare ; one rooted in science, relationship, and genuine care.
If you’re tired of feeling like a number in a system that wasn’t designed with you in mind, we’d love to be your partner in something different.
If you are not already a member and you would like to book a discovery call click here!
With gratitude and purpose,
Dr. Lauren Hutson, MD, MBA
Austin Medicine — Concierge & Functional Medicine Austin, TX | Telemedicine: TX, CO, CT, FL, NM & TN austinmedicineclinic.com
Meet the Author
Dr. Lauren Hutson is an experienced Primary Care Provider with degrees in Neuroscience and Biology from the University of Texas at Austin. She completed her residency at Baylor Scott & White, Texas A&M, with ABIM certification in Internal Medicine and has developed a strong focus on preventive care and chronic illness management. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she provided critical care as a Hospitalist in New Mexico, exemplifying her commitment to saving lives.
Dr. Hutson is also trained in Functional Medicine, is ABHRT and SSRP certified, and holds ABCN certification pending- these tools help exemplify her passion for root cause approach and healing the body as a whole. She practices medicine at the cellular level, focusing on enhancing longevity and optimizing long-term health by addressing root causes. She believes that all disease can start in the gut, and has authored a book on gut health to share her insights on the microbiome’s role in overall wellness.
Her front-line experiences during the pandemic inspired her to emphasize preventive health and health span over lifespan, investing in personalized strategies that empower patients to live healthier, longer, and more vibrant lives.
