http://healthland.time.com/2013/02/20/bitter-pil l-…
IMHO this is an apolitical article with really great reporting. If you’re going to be applying to medical school (and ultimately become a physician) I think it is a must read. Nothing in this article was news to me but it was really eyeopening to read it synthesized all together and from a great perspective.
Great read. Not finished yet. But reading this makes me sick. Coming from France, a country where health care is free, I really, truly don’t get how the system is what it is here.
So question is how do we change it? Some of this stuff is just insane.
Great article.
I completely agree with the tort reform stuff. As a paramedic, I think if we lived in a less litigious society, I think I’m capable of pulling out a spinter, cleaning the wound, apply a bandage and maybe a little neosporin, and not have to take that person to the hospital. But unfortunately, that’s not how it works and everyone gets to be seen by a physician, N.P., or P.A. regardless of how ridiculous their complaint. If there were a better (and legal) system of triage, we could greatly reduce cost. Furthermore, as the article states, the cost of endless unwarranted test can’t be sustained. I see it in the E.R. all the time, sad but true.
I do tend to take issue with the marginalizing of salaries per hospital admin, however. What’s someone really worth? Kinda hard to say. If your hospital is losing 30 million a year and you bring in someone who puts you back in the black, I would say they’re probably worth a million a year or so. My brother is a V.P. of a chain of hospitals, and is without question one of the hardest working people I’ve ever seen. His typical work schedule consist of 12-16 hour days, 6-7 days a week. He’s no where near the salary mentioned in the article, but he does well and deserves every penny. Why do they pay him so much? Because the last person botched it to the tune of millions. It’s an extremely difficult job, and I wouldn’t know where to begin. His company sends him to where they have problems, he fixes them, that’s why he makes what he does. Talent. If they could get it done cheaper, they would. If the hospital doesn’t turn a profit, nobody…including the docs, get paid. In some senses, these admin folk make the world go round and should be given their due. Honestly, I thank God every day for people like him! I want to practice medicine, I don’t want to do his boring job.
I’ve brought this article up to doctor friends and all they have to say is that they don’t care because they feel as if no ones backing them up when it comes time to them getting sued. Shrugs.