There is no reality here, only opinions and perceptions. Clearly, patient and physician perceptions differ. I think doctors would be better doctors if they studied at least one business course. When patients leave and then have massive stress and anxiety because they fear bankruptcy, doesn't it become a medical problem exacerbated by the system?jayk238 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 20, 2018 3:24 pm I think your comment is absolutely out of touch with reality. First off, doctors can't unionize. At least in the traditional sense. We cant affect change to our income, working conditions, or other aspects despite being technically 'allowed' to join an union. Next, organizational structures do not lend themselves to billing. Its not because we think it is'someone elses department.' Thats your words. Physicians do not go through any training at any point from medical school through residency that prepares them for this. Not once in my training have I felt that somehow this would make me a better doctor. It wont. Id rather have spent the time like I did understanding how to intubate and place a central line and learn pharmacology which is relevant to my patient care than about billing which is not something that is life saving in medicine.
You mention that hospitals wont be there if we organized and stopped working. Again- we are prohibited. Not working is also against our ethics and not something I would do. The masses have access to some of the best healthcare in the world including treatment for some of the most difficult cancers out there, surgeries, and general chronic care. If you disagree know this- statistically the US has far better outcomes for conditions that are measured after the patient arrives to the hospital. Most studies publicized indicate patient deaths due to heart disease etc are better in Europe than here- but when they look at treatments and care that begins and ends at the hospital doors (and ignores choices, diet, lifestyle etc etc) the US is superior.
If you want to know what has happened to socialized care just look at the headlines at the NHS. They have patients waiting outside in the lobby who were already admitted to the ED because they are ovefilled. There will be no draconion laws dictating payments. Simply worse outcomes for patients comparable to that in Europe while the pay goes down.
I do sleep well at night and I will tell you why. Because I have the opportunity to see my patients do well. The one with the heart failure who I helped or the COPDer or the MI or the cancer patient. That far outweighs any of these negatives.
I didn't say unionize. I said organize. As one of the largest lobbying groups in the U.S. (according to Wikipedia, anyway), what exactly does the AMA do? I'm an engineer in oil and gas. I'm proud that I help power the world, provide electricity, and provide transportation. My job has a positive effect on humanity, just like yours. I don't think I'm ethically obligated to work, though. OK, maybe you do.
I didn't prescribe any kind of fix for the system. I don't have sufficient expertise to do so. My experience is that once things get bad enough, things tend to get "fixed," and that often doesn't lead to good results because the "fixers" do not necessarily have the expertise needed to fix something correctly. We just move from one mistake to the next. Essentially, you'd have lawyers attempting to fix medical problems. I also don't disagree that we don't have good medical outcomes. The problem seems to be affording those outcomes. I'm sure there are many that have terrible outcomes because they can't afford to get treatment. I don't know what the answer is to that problem.
I see how every doctor sleeps well knowing they helped, or at least tried to help patients. What about the patients who then go bankrupt? OK, well, we gave you a new heart. Enjoy the extra years eating dog food?