Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Physicians have had it. What do we do now?

Michael Weiss, MD
Physician
February 20, 2018
256 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

I keep reading about how physician’s rightful bitching and moaning is peaking at an all-time high. It’s time they do so before the bow breaks, and let me tell you — we’re almost there. The worst problem that persists is “the enemy within ourselves.” This voice of doubt keeps us from the next logical step: stop what we’re doing, revolt and disable a broken runaway system lest we all soon go down with it.

This “enemy” is our own disbelief and the loss of faith in ourselves and our cause. After all, we are the real “cause” of helping the sick, wounded, hurting and afflicted ones in our nation — not some paper-pushing, cash-hungry bureaucratic machine that could care less about our nation’s sick and ailing, let alone about us. Unfortunately, the state of the union in health care will probably have to really get even worse for the nation to see just how important physicians are and how they carry the real weight when it comes to America’s medical needs. Either we get a top seat at the bargaining table, or we walk away and start our own negotiations. The nation is yearning for those of us who care for and treat them to be the ones who negotiate their needs. Will some senator from the Midwest or insurance executive know how to stop the pain and suffering or ease the plight of our nation’s families?

It’s no longer feasible to allow a bunch of MBA medical novices, insurers, and all the other power brokers to bankrupt our nation on the backs of doctors without whom they would soon all change their business ventures to non-health care pursuits.

Yet, physicians prefer their own crying games as the real powers in health care carry the day with unlimited time off to enjoy (unlike physicians). These mega-billion brokers take home no onerous EMR’s to complete after struggling with late after-office hours. So as to complete ridiculous measures, they are required to implement purposelessly in order to “possibly” see a minuscule rise in their compensation. In fact, these time-consuming and costly MIPS and MACRA burdens further torture physicians as they are at best worthless to patients. Why haven’t we had enough?

A tough question? Not really. So what exactly is it that holds doctors back from striking or refusing to work for wages equaling less than fees they could get for parking cars? Perhaps it’s an embedded fear from as far as back as medical school, enforced by residency and later by licensing agencies, insurers and the government. All this is topped off by a derogatory and demeaning media portrayal and governmental scapegoating of our profession. So sure, they give up and continue in misery — wouldn’t anyone?

But how long does anyone think this can continue?

Think about it. Do physicians have any real power? Licensing agencies do, insurers do, the pharmaceutical industry and the government certainly does — all of them over physicians. And yet, physicians have no power over anyone, especially themselves or their patients. Of course, this is totally unacceptable, irresponsible, unethical and disastrous. But it continues as you read this.

In essence: if we stopped working, the nation would be paralyzed. How can this ever happen when it is us who are already paralyzed?
Instead, we lay powerless leading woebegone, paralyzed lives of frustration. Yes, we’re prisoners of a very crooked system who have us by our physical as well as psychological chains of our own “stethoscopes.”

Everything we do is scrutinized, analyzed, pre-calculated, paid upon contingency for fear of revocation with fees continuously demanded and collected, penalties imposed and then the requirements. These requirements are continuously and onerously piled up so, in effect, we can either choose to burn out, commit suicide, leave the profession but never seem to hold a “snowball’s chance in hell” of ever even partially controlling our own destinies or that of our patients.

Perhaps lessons from Gandhi’s nonviolent revolt and boycotts might spark a familiar sentiment in many of us. Imagine if physicians all refused to do MIPS, MACRA or other nonsensical trick or treat onerous worthless puppeteer measures? Will we all stop getting paid or get less from Medicare? How much less will that be as they’ve already whittled us down to bare minimum — all the while continuing to generously allow pharmaceuticals and insurers to rake in “sky’s the limit” charges.

Well then, just maybe we might get a say in what measures we believe are important to improve the quality of the life of our patients without suffering burn outs along the way. Perhaps we might get paid by insurers without fears of having these payments refunded with interest or simply refusing to pay for our hard-earned work at their whim. After all, who ever heard of getting paid without guarantee of keeping one’s fees? Sounds like “funny money” to me. Too bad it’s we who are made to look like clowns. We’ve got to be heard now. Later will be too late as the siege upon physicians continues to take no captives.

It’s no wonder that so many pre-med students abruptly switched to becoming NPs or PAs or even more so chose non-medical careers.

Will we congratulate our oppressors for destroying an amazing field of higher calling, or will we have the courage to start speaking up and finally take back our noble profession? It’s totally up to us to make an important life-changing impact today. As a profession, we’ve been forcefully taught about documentation so how about we all document what’s happening to our profession and how it affects our patients’ lives as well as our own?

I’m sure you all have highlights of your own plights and travails you can share and lend a powerful sorely needed voice to help share with our nation, elected officials and colleagues to affect vital changes today. Thus, we might actually assure both the continuity and brighter more hopeful future for newcomers to our embattled profession. After all in 1776, 5 of the 56 signers of our Constitution were physicians.

In 2013, there were 21 physicians in our congress. That number dropped to 11 in 2017. So in 1776 about nine percent of signatories of our constitution were physicians, whereas, today it’s one percent or less. Let’s take back our voices so the muffled heart sounds of our nation can once again be clearly heard.

Michael Weiss is a physician and can be reached on Twitter @HeartAndSoulDoc.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

How telemedicine will revolutionize primary care

February 20, 2018 Kevin 2
…
Next

Inaction and playing it safe has costs

February 21, 2018 Kevin 0
…

Tagged as: Public Health & Policy

Post navigation

< Previous Post
How telemedicine will revolutionize primary care
Next Post >
Inaction and playing it safe has costs

More by Michael Weiss, MD

  • The true cost of being uninsured in America

    Michael Weiss, MD
  • What’s the one thing doctors can learn from corporations?

    Michael Weiss, MD
  • The old days of medicine are gone

    Michael Weiss, MD

Related Posts

  • Turn physicians into powerful health care influencers

    Kevin Pho, MD
  • Are patients using social media to attack physicians?

    David R. Stukus, MD
  • The risk physicians take when going on social media

    Anonymous
  • Beware of pseudoscience: The desperate need for physicians on social media

    Valerie A. Jones, MD
  • Essential health messaging tips for physicians [PODCAST]

    The Podcast by KevinMD
  • When physicians are cyberbullied: an interview with ZDoggMD

    Monique Tello, MD

More in Physician

  • Revealing America’s expansion: the dark truth of Native American suffering and unjustified abuses

    Anonymous
  • From journalism to medicine: Unveiling the untold stories of patients’ medical conditions

    Veronica Bonales, MD
  • A mentor’s legacy in medicine, leadership, and embracing evidence-based care

    Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA
  • Breaking free from restrictive covenants to combat burnout

    Raya E. Kheirbek, MD
  • From medical student to intern: Discovering a deeper connection with patients

    Johnathan Yao, MD, MPH
  • A physician’s typical day, as envisioned by a non-clinician health care MBA: a satire

    Jennifer Lycette, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Boxing legends Tyson and Foreman: powerful lessons for a resilient and evolving health care future

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • We need a new Hippocratic Oath that puts patient autonomy first

      Jeffrey A. Singer, MD | Physician
    • Is chaos in health care leading us towards socialized medicine? How physician burnout is a catalyst.

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • A physician’s typical day, as envisioned by a non-clinician health care MBA: a satire

      Jennifer Lycette, MD | Physician
    • Decoding name displays in health care: Privacy, identification, and compliance unveiled

      Deepak Gupta, MD | Physician
    • The rising threat of lung cancer in Asian American female nonsmokers

      Alice S. Y. Lee, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • It’s time to replace the 0 to 10 pain intensity scale with a better measure

      Mark Sullivan, MD and Jane Ballantyne, MD | Conditions
    • “Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
    • Unveiling the hidden damage: the secretive world of medical boards

      Alan Lindemann, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the cycle of racism in health care: a call for anti-racist action

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Policy
    • Revolutionize your practice: the value-based care model that reduces physician burnout

      Chandravadan Patel, MD | Physician
    • An inspiring tribute to an exceptional radiologist who made a lasting impact

      Kim Downey, PT | Conditions
  • Recent Posts

    • Revealing America’s expansion: the dark truth of Native American suffering and unjustified abuses

      Anonymous | Physician
    • Unlock financial freedom: The physician’s guide to lucrative multifamily syndications and wealth accumulation

      Pranay Parikh, MD | Finance
    • From Moscow Mule to the opioid crisis: Unveiling the tragic legacy and urgent solutions

      Osmund Agbo, MD | Meds
    • From journalism to medicine: Unveiling the untold stories of patients’ medical conditions

      Veronica Bonales, MD | Physician
    • Unlocking resilience: a powerful journey from trauma to transformation [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Overcoming the lies of depression: Senator John Fetterman’s struggle with mental health

      Harvey Max Chochinov, MD, PhD | Conditions

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 38 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • Superior Cognition in the Oldest-Old; Novel MS Pathway; What Links Amyloid and Tau?
  • Phase II Study: Bispecific Oral Drug Tops Leading JAK Inhibitor for RA
  • New Nonhormonal Hot Flash Recs; Global Plastics Treaty; SGLT2 & Lower Cancer Risk?
  • Leaky Impellas Recalled; Andexanet Alfa's Brain Bleed Win; Estrogen Pills & High BP
  • Schools Aren't Prepared to Treat Asthma Attacks

Meeting Coverage

  • Phase II Study: Bispecific Oral Drug Tops Leading JAK Inhibitor for RA
  • Closing the Diversity Gaps in Urologic Oncology Leadership
  • Certain NSCLC Patients May Be Able to Stop Immunotherapy at 2 Years
  • No Survival Benefit With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Rechallenge in Metastatic RCC
  • Happy Sleep, Happy Couple?
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Boxing legends Tyson and Foreman: powerful lessons for a resilient and evolving health care future

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • We need a new Hippocratic Oath that puts patient autonomy first

      Jeffrey A. Singer, MD | Physician
    • Is chaos in health care leading us towards socialized medicine? How physician burnout is a catalyst.

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • A physician’s typical day, as envisioned by a non-clinician health care MBA: a satire

      Jennifer Lycette, MD | Physician
    • Decoding name displays in health care: Privacy, identification, and compliance unveiled

      Deepak Gupta, MD | Physician
    • The rising threat of lung cancer in Asian American female nonsmokers

      Alice S. Y. Lee, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • It’s time to replace the 0 to 10 pain intensity scale with a better measure

      Mark Sullivan, MD and Jane Ballantyne, MD | Conditions
    • “Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
    • Unveiling the hidden damage: the secretive world of medical boards

      Alan Lindemann, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the cycle of racism in health care: a call for anti-racist action

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Policy
    • Revolutionize your practice: the value-based care model that reduces physician burnout

      Chandravadan Patel, MD | Physician
    • An inspiring tribute to an exceptional radiologist who made a lasting impact

      Kim Downey, PT | Conditions
  • Recent Posts

    • Revealing America’s expansion: the dark truth of Native American suffering and unjustified abuses

      Anonymous | Physician
    • Unlock financial freedom: The physician’s guide to lucrative multifamily syndications and wealth accumulation

      Pranay Parikh, MD | Finance
    • From Moscow Mule to the opioid crisis: Unveiling the tragic legacy and urgent solutions

      Osmund Agbo, MD | Meds
    • From journalism to medicine: Unveiling the untold stories of patients’ medical conditions

      Veronica Bonales, MD | Physician
    • Unlocking resilience: a powerful journey from trauma to transformation [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Overcoming the lies of depression: Senator John Fetterman’s struggle with mental health

      Harvey Max Chochinov, MD, PhD | Conditions

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Physicians have had it. What do we do now?
38 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...