Classic post: We sued you, but we still need you

Dear Anon 10:46-the economist.

How ya doing? You said something about every doctor publishing his error rate. What does that mean?

Seriously-without getting mean-what is an ‘error rate’. Is that like what they did in New York state a couple of years ago[ 1991 ] when they published mortality rates for each cardiac surgeon-witout considering degree of difficulty related to each patients medical status at the time of the operation.

We aren’t robots. There is no possible way to implement your idea with ANY degree of fairness.

This current nonsense about “Outcome oriented medical care” is probably something foisted on the medical profession by a bunch of economists and social scientists-along with ‘nurse managers’ otherwise uninterested in emptying bedpans and cleaning sick patients-because they would much rather read EKG strips than really take care of sick people.

Doctors need to get rid of Uncle Sam – stop taking assignment and start treating people with dignity regardless of ability to pay.

Fortunately – most doctors are interested in delivering good care. We aren’t perfect. Making us “Strictly liable” [ in the legal sense ] will eventually lead to poorer medical care.

So you lawyers and economists-keep rolling the dice – you are not too far from ‘sevening out.’