There’s no question that health reform needs to rebuild around primary care medicine.
Doctors give their own suggestions, including aligning generalist salaries comparable to how the UK pays GPs in their nationalized health system, which is approximately “$230,000 a year plus 25% performance bonuses.”
Some other more aggressive tactics involve forming a physician union, or joining the Service Employment International Union (SEIU). One doctor has initiated talks between his medical society and the union, and “recommends that physicians spur their local medical societies to get involved in talks with the SEIU.”
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Any physician who considers himself the functional equivalent of a janitor should by all means consider joining the SEIU.
Yeah, that worked really well for the air traffic controllers in their dealings with a single government employer…
join a union, and then discard any semblance of professionalism you have left.
The problem with getting doctors together is that there are many different types of physicians whose immediate financial interests often run contrary to one-another.
That being said, if only we had a terrifically influential, well-known and powerful group that represented doctor’s interests democratically…www.ama-assn.org.
If you’re not a member because the AMA doesn’t speak for you, just remember that they don’t speak for you because your’re not a member. It’s democratic…make the AMA say what you want it to say.
Since a lot of the problems seem to be within the profession (specialists shortchanging generalists) it seems like the generalists might be ahead to align themselves with other groups that would support their cause.
SEIU? Quite. After all, 7 years (or more) of post-graduate education really isn’t any different than being a hotel housekeeper.
But, with Obambi’s ‘card check’ we probably won’t even have to bother to vote
The U.A.W. might be nice.
Anyone who thinks socialized medicine is the answer is smoking crack.
GPs have been treated like garbage since the dawn of the truly corrupt HMOs.
Obama and the gang of four are set to destroy our nation’s healthcare.
The AMA is crap. They listen to Obama speak and say NOTHING.
Service Union – no. Professional Union – maybe. Someone has to fight for them.
Another solution: doctors should refuse to treat lawyers and politicians. That could work.
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