Comments on: Embracing the change coming to our health care system

By: Michael Kirsch, M.D.

Michael Kirsch, M.D. — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 11:53:40 +0000

Let’s keep it Dylan. Tort reform is ‘blowin’ in the wind’!

By: Doc99

Doc99 — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:27:28 +0000

What about Don’t Fear The Reaper.?

By: Michael Kirsch, M.D.

Michael Kirsch, M.D. — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 02:01:34 +0000

You may say that The Times They Are A-Changin’. I wonder if Dylan’s phrase, A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall, would be more apt.

By: R Watkins

R Watkins — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:30:11 +0000

Change based upon research and evidence can be stressful but ultimately rewarding.

There is NO scientific evidence that “the patient-centered medical home model, adoption of E-prescribing, adoption of electronic medical records, and adoption of Lean Quality Improvement initiatives” will benefit patients or physicians.

By: Evinx

Evinx — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:33:04 +0000

Where is the evidence that the changes comtemplated will in actuality improve our health care system? We know, for example, the state of New Jersey has community ratings, guaranteed issue. Has it improved healtcare in NJ? Are more people enrolled than before? Have premiums gone down?

It is amazing that some want to make monumental changes to a huge and important aspect of all our lives without hard evidence of what the real world results will be. Look at NJ, or Mass or Hawaii and see what the real world results are.

Have we become so arrogant that we can predict the effects on millions of people based on our own preconceptions?

By: melcos

melcos — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:41:17 +0000

One huge difference with those examples… The diabetic can make a personal decision and it mainly impacts him. The doctor that is wiling to accept the changes in the way he practices will impact him and those patients who choose to see him under that model. Both may be hard decisions which will require some type of personal sacrifice – but it is still their choice

But for the massive changes to the health care system, the decisions are being made by corrupt politicians driven by special interests who have little to lose and much to gain from doctors and patients who will have choices taken away from them – much pain, much to lose and very little for all but the poorest to gain.

Don’t get me wrong – health care reform is deperately needed, and to do it right there will be some pain and sacrifice that can result in a much better system, but not by following the path we are now on.