Comments on: Ideas for health care reform http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/10/ideas-for-health-care-reform.html Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:18:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/10/ideas-for-health-care-reform.html#comment-87665 Anonymous Sat, 18 Oct 2008 01:40:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/10/ideas-for-health-care-reform.html#comment-87665 "In short, as part of restructuring the health-care system, physicians need to be put back on a level playing field with the rest of the health-care players,"<br/><br/>Actually, the biggest problem is illustrated in the way this sentence is written. Physicians need to put THEMSELVES back in the game. They sold their soul to the govt in the 60s and they made a lot of money for the past 30 years as a result. As the baby boomers hit and govt gets extended, govt is squeezing them back. And they're clearly feeling helpless because they have become pretty poor business people and have no idea how to take back control of their income. They better figure it out soon, though, or Pres. Obama is going to make sure healthcare is a "right" and they're going to be nothing more than pill pushers. “In short, as part of restructuring the health-care system, physicians need to be put back on a level playing field with the rest of the health-care players,”

Actually, the biggest problem is illustrated in the way this sentence is written. Physicians need to put THEMSELVES back in the game. They sold their soul to the govt in the 60s and they made a lot of money for the past 30 years as a result. As the baby boomers hit and govt gets extended, govt is squeezing them back. And they’re clearly feeling helpless because they have become pretty poor business people and have no idea how to take back control of their income. They better figure it out soon, though, or Pres. Obama is going to make sure healthcare is a “right” and they’re going to be nothing more than pill pushers.

]]> By: Deron Schriverhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/10/ideas-for-health-care-reform.html#comment-87662 Deron Schriver Fri, 17 Oct 2008 23:03:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/10/ideas-for-health-care-reform.html#comment-87662 She makes a lot of good points, although none of them are new ideas. I think all of us inside the healthcare system know what needs done, but we're mostly just talking about it and not coming together to take action. If we don't come together soon, we're going to be stuck with whatever the government gives us. Who do you think knows more about the healthcare system, Barack Obama or those of us who live it each day? She makes a lot of good points, although none of them are new ideas. I think all of us inside the healthcare system know what needs done, but we’re mostly just talking about it and not coming together to take action. If we don’t come together soon, we’re going to be stuck with whatever the government gives us. Who do you think knows more about the healthcare system, Barack Obama or those of us who live it each day?

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/10/ideas-for-health-care-reform.html#comment-87660 Anonymous Fri, 17 Oct 2008 22:28:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/10/ideas-for-health-care-reform.html#comment-87660 Excuse me? Doctors have the ultimate power: You can choose to terminate the doctor/patient relationship, including for no reason at all. What more do you want?<br/><br/>Patients are limited to whatever pool of physicians is available after insurance and geographic restrictions are considered. That eliminates quite a lot of options and quite a lot of choice. <br/><br/>I don't doubt that you put up with a lot of BS from patients who take too little personal responsibility. Still, all you have to do is send them a letter to make them go away. Forever.<br/><br/>Why are you complaining? Excuse me? Doctors have the ultimate power: You can choose to terminate the doctor/patient relationship, including for no reason at all. What more do you want?

Patients are limited to whatever pool of physicians is available after insurance and geographic restrictions are considered. That eliminates quite a lot of options and quite a lot of choice.

I don’t doubt that you put up with a lot of BS from patients who take too little personal responsibility. Still, all you have to do is send them a letter to make them go away. Forever.

Why are you complaining?

]]> By: Matthttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/10/ideas-for-health-care-reform.html#comment-87651 Matt Fri, 17 Oct 2008 17:36:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/10/ideas-for-health-care-reform.html#comment-87651 love it! love it! love it!!<br/><br/>The whole loss of personal responsibility and entitlement that is gripping the American culture (and seems to be be extremely prevalent in the patients that I see) is driving me absolutely nuts. What really gets me is the "I missed xx appointment because no one reminded me".<br/><br/>We really need to re-prioritize our healthcare system. We spend 2-3 times the money of other nations, but what do we have to show for it. #37 on the WHO rankings. Bravo. :(... and I don't see signs of improvement. <br/><br/>In all the pres debates, I have heard very little on controlling healthcare spending, re-distibuting money from heroic end of life care and fancy tests/procedures to more needed services, or fixing the health insurance industry. <br/><br/>I don't, however, want to seem like we healthcare providers are blameless. Many times we choose to prescribe more costly brand name meds beofre trying generics, continue accepting extravagant gifts/money from pharma companies, or ordering unneeded procedures. (but we've earned it, right (aka entitled to it)) <br/><br/>change is going to have to happen on both ends and I fear substantial change will not happen until something big/national happens that spur people into action. As bad as it sound, that's why a little part of me is hoping that avian flu actually happens. I have lost that much faith in the government. <br/><br/>With that said, I really don't what bird flu to happen. I don't like it when people die especially needlessly. love it! love it! love it!!

The whole loss of personal responsibility and entitlement that is gripping the American culture (and seems to be be extremely prevalent in the patients that I see) is driving me absolutely nuts. What really gets me is the “I missed xx appointment because no one reminded me”.

We really need to re-prioritize our healthcare system. We spend 2-3 times the money of other nations, but what do we have to show for it. #37 on the WHO rankings. Bravo. :( … and I don’t see signs of improvement.

In all the pres debates, I have heard very little on controlling healthcare spending, re-distibuting money from heroic end of life care and fancy tests/procedures to more needed services, or fixing the health insurance industry.

I don’t, however, want to seem like we healthcare providers are blameless. Many times we choose to prescribe more costly brand name meds beofre trying generics, continue accepting extravagant gifts/money from pharma companies, or ordering unneeded procedures. (but we’ve earned it, right (aka entitled to it))

change is going to have to happen on both ends and I fear substantial change will not happen until something big/national happens that spur people into action. As bad as it sound, that’s why a little part of me is hoping that avian flu actually happens. I have lost that much faith in the government.

With that said, I really don’t what bird flu to happen. I don’t like it when people die especially needlessly.

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