The Unseen Struggles Behind the X-Ray: A Personal Journey Through Pain and Healthcare Challenges

X-Ray image of the author's spine with spinal hardware from T6 to pelvis

This is my spine. Yup, I am sharing the most unveiled version of it anyone ever gets to see. It bears the marks of surgeries and the permanence of metal rods and screws—surgical hardware meant to stabilize my body. Yet, I live in constant pain. But the physical pain is only part of my story.

As an autistic adult, articulating this pain isn't straightforward. Traditional descriptors often fall short. My expressions might not align with neurotypical expectations. Yet, the pain is real, persistent, and profoundly affecting.

My voice doesn’t always match the clinical script. I don’t describe pain using typical timelines or tones. I may not cry or raise my voice. But I am still hurting.

Navigating the U.S. healthcare system amplifies this struggle. A system driven by profit margins and standardized protocols often overlooks the nuanced needs of individuals, particularly those who don't fit the "typical" patient profile. For neurodivergent individuals like me, this can result in being misunderstood, dismissed, or inadequately treated. I was in high masking mode—my usual default when I am nervous—in my attempt to be the "normal" or "perfect patient" and did not fully share my concerns. I may not cry or raise my voice. But I am still hurting. And I am not alone.

Capitalism’s Tight Grip on Care

In the U.S., healthcare is not driven by healing; it’s driven by revenue. As providers face pressures to meet productivity quotas and maximize billing, their ability to deliver thoughtful, individualized care is compromised. According to recent data, over 63% of U.S. physicians report burnout, and moral injury is rising in clinical spaces where autonomy is fading.

The pressure isn’t just internal. Private health insurers thrive financially, while providers and patients bear the brunt of cost-cutting and administrative hurdles. For instance, UnitedHealth reported $22 billion in profit in 2023—even as community hospitals serving Medicaid populations close, and independent practices are swallowed by corporate systems.

The Detriment of Medicare Advantage Plans

Meanwhile, privatized Medicare Advantage (MA) plans—often marketed as cost-saving alternatives—have not consistently improved health outcomes, especially for marginalized populations. Instead, MA plans introduce new barriers to care and complicate clinical decision-making for physicians who already feel constrained.

This loss of autonomy, paired with increasing regulatory and billing demands, fuels burnout and pushes providers further from the core of their work: human connection.

The Financial Squeeze on Providers

In 2024, physicians faced significant financial challenges due to declining Medicare reimbursement rates and high student loan interest rates. Hospitals and health systems struggle with rising labor and non-labor expenses, leading to narrowing operating margins.

These financial pressures can lead to cost-cutting measures that may compromise patient care. These measures include reduced staffing levels and limited resources for essential services. The emphasis on profitability erodes care quality and exacerbates health disparities.

The Mental Health Cost of Financial Stress

Beyond the immediate impacts on patient care, the rising financial strain contributes to a toxic work environment for healthcare providers. Stress leads to burnout, affecting both mental health and job performance. Providers may struggle to maintain empathy and connection with patients when they are overwhelmed by financial concerns and workload.

The Rise of Profit-Driven Marketing in Healthcare

Adding fuel to the fire is the commercialization of medical marketing. This is especially pronounced in high-profit specialties like pain management. Physician-facing ads promote services not for clinical value but for revenue generation. Campaigns emphasize "practice growth" through profitable treatments, procedures, and technologies, often without discussing equity, ethics, or outcomes.

This messaging subtly shapes clinical behavior. It nudges providers away from patient-centered care and toward fee-for-service optimization. As both a patient and a provider advocate, I see this and I worry—not just for patients like me, but for the future of care itself.

Coaching: Sanctuary and A Catalyst for Change

Coaching, particularly when rooted in empathy and inclusivity, offers a pathway to bridge these gaps. Coaching isn’t just about performance. For those in healthcare, it can be a lifeline—a space where reflection, empathy, and humanity are not only protected but re-centered.

A Shift in Perspective

Coaching isn't about "fixing." Instead, it's about giving room to realign with why you chose this work initially. As an ICF-certified coach, I use trauma-aware, neurodivergent-affirming practices to help equity-focused leaders reconnect with their values and build capacity for sustained change.

And the science backs it up:

• Coaching programs reduce burnout and emotional exhaustion while improving resilience and professional fulfillment (Mayo Clinic, 2020).

• Coaching enhances empathy and communication, both of which are directly linked to higher patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes.

• Coaching supports behavioral change leadership, helping providers navigate complex systems without losing themselves.

  
  

When providers are resourced, patients are better served. When healthcare leaders are reflective, systems become more just.

Coaching, Equity, and Healing Healthcare Systems

For coaching to effect meaningful change, it must be integrated thoughtfully into healthcare infrastructures:

• Training and Development: Incorporate coaching methodologies into medical education and ongoing professional development to foster a culture of empathy and continuous learning.

• Policy Implementation: Develop policies that recognize the value of coaching in improving patient outcomes and provider satisfaction.

• Collaborative Spaces: Establish forums where patients, providers, and coaches can engage in open dialogues, sharing experiences and co-creating solutions.

  
  

A Global Perspective on Health Infrastructure

Across the globe, countries with robust, publicly funded healthcare systems enjoy higher life expectancy, better population health, and lower medical debt than the U.S. Countries like Finland, the U.K., and Canada invest in healthcare as an infrastructure of wellbeing, not a profit center. Evidence shows that publicly funded systems:

• Reduce barriers to preventative care.

• Improve maternal and infant health.

• Lower healthcare costs per capita.

• Strengthen trust between communities and providers.

  
  

Yet in the U.S., public programs like Medicaid and Medicare face incremental privatization. This creates new administrative barriers and introduces inequitable care structures—especially for disabled and low-income populations.

If we are to build a healthier society, we must shift our mindset: healthcare is not a privilege; it is a public good.

A Coaching-Based Call to Action

I created Conscious By Us to support leaders, clinicians, and change agents who refuse to accept "profit over people" as a default. If you're feeling the strain of this system, if you're trying to lead with integrity in a field that pulls you away from your purpose, coaching might be exactly what you need.

Not because you’re broken. But because the system is.

You deserve a space to think, feel, and imagine something better. If you’re working toward equity in healthcare, advocacy, or education, and you want a coach who brings both personal and professional depth, let’s talk. Learn more or book coaching below:

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Let’s co-create a system where care isn’t just efficient; it’s equitable. Where healing isn’t transactional; it’s transformational. From pain to purpose—and from purpose to practice.

Note: This piece offers a deeply personal and professional lens on how healthcare coaching can support providers and leaders in reclaiming their purpose, restoring empathy, and advancing equity-driven healing in systems often shaped by profit over people.