This actually is defensive medicine on the PMD’s part. Who will likely be named in a lawsuit when it comes down to the beloved primary MD that tried to save me by sending me to the ER, or the dumb (and overworked ER doctor) that made me wait 2 hours with my appy while it ruptured. Of course, not to mention that the ER doctor was doing the same service for 10 other patients that had been sent from home by their PMD. Sh&* rolls down hill and is usually caught by the safety net that is the ER.

Removing attorneys from the healthcare equation via tort reform.

Reducing healthcare exec’s pay and corporate downsizing. There’s so much redundancy in hospital administration it’s ridiculous.

Increased tax funds for community health clinics, with special concessions for 4 PAs to every physician ratio at those clinics.

Increased funding for preventative medicine instead of tertiary medicine…ie tax incentives for those with healthy lifestyles, increased spending for public education, increased spending for community health programs.

Re-opening long term mental health institutions for the severely and chronically mentally ill with mental health professionals for counseling/case management and PAs for psych meds.(Yes, this is radical, but how expensive is it to have a psych patient hang out in your ER for 12 hours until a psych bed can be located?)

Reducing illegal aliens’ ER usage by changing EMTALA laws regarding mandatory care. Sorry…but it’s going to have to be this way or we will all go without quality medical care sooner or later.

Appealing to them by pointing out what is likely to happen given current trends will not, I think, be successful. I think people like the idea of MDs making less and struggling, not realizing of course that this means (first) fewer primary care docs, then (second) fewer bright young poeople choosing medicine, or limiting their practices to those which are highly renumerative.

The crisis is, at this point, only felt by MDs and health care observers, not patients as such, at least not to a significant enough degree to form any agreement.

So I agree that all of what you say is true. But things are going to have to get far, far worse before people will complain about it. To them, it’s just bad for MDs, therefore …so what?

Somewhere along the line I’m sure some testing was done, ie white count and probably CT, but none of it was in an ER.

I remember being pretty impressed at the time.

Please, point out where I have used misleading statistics. Don’t project your own actions on to others.

“Alleged? ALLEGED? I suppose you think there is no shortage? Where the hell are you living?”

My mistake – should have been more clear. I mean the alleged problems that are CAUSING this shortage. The only real problem is that it is not compensated as well.

“Ignore reality, Ignore facts.”

Says someone who puts his faith insurance companies.

Grass is purple
Grass is purple

Say it over and over to yourself 100 times so you will believe it. Ignore reality, Ignore facts. Way to go counselor.

“I’m crazy for pointing out your misleading use of statistics”

Gee – and you’re not guilty of that? Oh, please.

“with regard to the alleged problems with the shortage of generalists”

Alleged? ALLEGED? I suppose you think there is no shortage? Where the hell are you living?

But with regard to the alleged problems with the shortage of generalists, the solution is simple. Pay more for it. Doctors are no less immune to financial incentives than any other profession.

CJD

You’re right. A lifetime of pain and suffering should only be worth what you make in a year. Ask Steven Olsen:

http://www.commondreams.org/cgi-bin/print.cgi?file=/views03/0210-08.htm

What would be a fair number for your child’s sight and brain function? But hey, at least he can pay his physicians, right?

“I pay about 30-35k/year in CA in 2006. The national median was 53k (AMA 2003) with many paying over 100k.”

I call this paragraph “Fun with statistics”. You go from what YOU pay to the “national median”. Lies, damn lies, and such.

CJD

I pay about 30-35k/year in CA in 2006. The national median was 53k (AMA 2003) with many paying over 100k.

Cap is only on “pain and suffering”. If they have a legitimate claim with legitimate liability all there other needs should be taken care of.