Amazing story:
A top New York heart surgeon who was doing a mercy-mission operation on an 8-year-old boy in El Salvador had to scrub out in the middle of the procedure so he could donate his own rare-type blood to the patient.Dr. Samuel Weinstein said he had his blood drawn, ate a Pop-Tart, returned to the operating table and watched as his blood helped the boy survive the complex surgery.
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Hi, I’m from Honduras, I’m a med student, I was reading all the comments, I don’t know why you make a controversy, this surgeon saved the life of his patient, I know that some of you can’t just imagine our reality, all the help is welcome, I don’t understand why you attack one each other, and anyway it doesn’t matter where yo do it, just do it right.
So who clean up the mess after these surgeons leave? The local surgeons.
you can tell your government to BAN all medical missions. i know you have your own, so why not make it bigger and often since there are more people who needs it. that is if you have a big heart, more time and ready to empty your pockets. your apathy is quite understable. who wants to lose income? why can’t you appreciate that somebody is helping the people. you dont like that do you?
I don’t understand why physicians are such a jealous bunch of people. Why can’t you just be happy for what this guy did? Instead you dissect it like a bunch of first quarter anatomy students with your cat on the table.
You always find something to complain about no matter what anyone has done, even one of your own.
“You always find something to complain about no matter what anyone has done, even one of your own.”
I just read through the comments and I really didn’t see anyone claiming to be a physician putting this doctor down. there was the comment that sometimes these missions are not welcomed by the LOCAL doctors.
But it is a great story. My brother inlaw is a surgeon who after three years of practice in the AIR Force has been working as a surgeon missionary in Africa and Guam and is contemplating Afghanistan. I know he has not thought of himself one iota since medical school and has not saved a dime for his own retirement.
“You throw gratuitous accusations of jealousy as a smokescreen for very real concerns about frivolous malpractice claims resulting from doing pro bono work here in the states.”
What amount, either by percentage or total number, of pro bono cases in the US have resulted in a frivolous malpractice claim?
“What amount, either by percentage or total number, of pro bono cases in the US have resulted in a frivolous malpractice claim?”
Don’t know. In my ER 30% of people don’t pay so it is essentially charity work. If numbers hold up then the same amount 30% would file frivolous cases. Some would argue this group of people is more litiginous, but I suspect they are less litiginous because of limited education, resources, etc. I have been sued 5 times in the last 4 years of practice (all frivolous). One case was from what would be considered a charity case (no insurance, no pay, illegal immigrant).
In my group over the years there has been a couple of lawsuits where the doctor treated a nurse or other hospital worker “as a favor”. As the saying goes, “No good deed goes unpunished”
To 5:38 pm I didn’t say that I don’t appreciate all these medical missions, why you react like that, I’m sure that all the people that you help are thankful, and who wants to ban the missions? can you explain me where did you hear that? all the persons that do these kind of missions, is because they really want to do it, I can’t find another explanation, and can you stop of talking about your money? ok you spend it but if becouse you choose it, I just wanted to say that this surgeon did a good thing, but it looks that nobody could see it.
Read through properly Anon 6:26, that’s what Anon 4:40 said.
Read Anon 7:55’s comment, where malpractice came into.
Castillo : that comment is for Anon 3:45 not you. Im following the thread. Sorry you got mixed up.
“Don’t know.”
So then how do you make the claim about “real concerns” if you have no idea whether the concerns are warranted?
“In my ER 30% of people don’t pay so it is essentially charity work.”
Do you still get paid the same? If so, then that’s not charity work on YOUR part, that charity work on the hospital’s part. Some of which it may agree to do in exchange for agreements limiting competition.
“Some would argue this group of people is more litiginous, but I suspect they are less litiginous because of limited education, resources, etc.”
I’ve never seen any stats on who is or is not more likely to be litigious. That would be an interesting study.
“In my group over the years there has been a couple of lawsuits where the doctor treated a nurse or other hospital worker “as a favor”.”
If you do something as a favor, is the recipient agreeing to substandard care?
oooops… sorry, at least I could say what I think.
“Do you still get paid the same?”
Does a gas station get paid for a drive-off or a restaurant for an eat and run?
“If you do something as a favor, is the recipient agreeing to substandard care?”
They are asking for care without a co-pay, without the inconvenience or making an appointment, often without a thorough exam because of embarrassment. They are imposing to get “the favor” and often don’t follow up. Now the answer is easy, we just say NO and tell them to register and sign in like any other patient. Incidently these “favors” wouldn’t be covered under our malpractice policy because they really weren’t patients —- because it was a favor.
“Does a gas station get paid for a drive-off or a restaurant for an eat and run?”
Does a gas station get the opportunity to be on salary or a fixed fee contract? Think about it.
“They are asking for care without a co-pay, without the inconvenience or making an appointment, often without a thorough exam because of embarrassment. They are imposing to get “the favor” and often don’t follow up.”
So does that mean they can expect substandard care? On the one hand, you’re lecturing about the charity work, and on the other, you’re saying the lack of a copay means that no one can expect you to perform well if they don’t pay.
“Does a gas station get the opportunity to be on salary or a fixed fee contract? Think about it.”
very few physicians in the community or on salary or fixed fee contract. really, its true. think about it. are you CJD? we have been telling you this for a long time.
“So does that mean they can expect substandard care?”
the care was not substandard. that is your assumption. they did not disclose important information, nor did they follow up as told.
“very few physicians in the community or on salary or fixed fee contract. really, its true. think about it. are you CJD? we have been telling you this for a long time.”
How do you get paid? For example, the typical ER doc in a hospital – how does he/she get paid?
“the care was not substandard. that is your assumption. they did not disclose important information, nor did they follow up as told.”
I assumed nothing. You kept throwing up all these justifications for the care they received. I was simply wondering if the care was substandard. You implied that because they didn’t pay, didn’t have an appointment, etc. that they were to take whatever they got and like it.
“How do you get paid? For example, the typical ER doc in a hospital – how does he/she get paid?”
1. provide the service
2. submit a bill
3. wait to collect
4. actually collect about 30%
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