One problem – if this went through, no one would take on difficult patients or hard-to-control diseases:
The way physicians are paid is how stockbrokers used to be paid about a decade ago, Udall said.““They were paid on transactions, they were paid for selling or buying the shares,”” he said. ““They weren’t paid based on whether the stocks did well. A few years ago, they changed that.””
Now, stockbrokers are paid based on how well their portfolios perform, Udall said. As they recommend stock to their clients, they’re paid based on how well the stock performs, and that has revolutionized how stockbrokers operate, he said.
““Well in medicine, we’re paid by transactions in the same way that stockbrokers used to be paid by transactions,” he said. ““So I’Â’m paid to do stuff. I’Â’m not paid based on how well the patients do. And until we change some things and make the system different, we’Â’re always going to have the problem of there’s not enough money to go around.””
Related posts:
- A concierge physician to Stossel
- Physician versus stock broker, redux
- Hypocritical AMSA
- Why patients should not be called clients
- Military analysts and industry-sponsored CME
- The reality of how Medicare cuts will hurt patients
- Physician salaries: The health pundits are out of touch
{ 5 comments }
So, I do this operation. The patient dies. I get nothing. Fair enough. What if he lives? Do I get 10 bucks a day for the rest of his life? Do I get 15% (standard tip) of his income for the rest of his life- not good, no one would take care of retirees, unless I can tap into his SS and pension. Or I could be like an attorney- get the patient to pay my expenses, then take 1/3 of what he has left. This is getting better. Let’s keep talking.
No. You get paid your fee for performing the surgery.
jb, the attorney only gets his expenses and fees if he’s successful. And it’s only the value of that particular result. Oh, and you have to rent the equipment you use to operate.
You might want to know what you’re signing on for before you get too excited.
After further consideration, yeah, I’ll take the deal. My success rate (hernia repaired, tumor removed, blockage relieved) is well over 90%, as compared with attorneys less than 50% overall, and trial attorneys less than half that in medmal cases. So, yes, I’ll take the deal.
Furthermore, one of the most common claims in medmal suits is compensation for “loss of consortium.” I will demand $25 for every time one of my patients “finds consortium” after one of my successful operations. Deal?
Lets see, a cardiac bypass might be successful 95% of the time. I would take those odds and I sure would not risk operating on anyone high risk. Is a plaintiff attorney successful 95% of the time. Nah, didn’t think so.
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