Fifteen or so years ago, I was watching Bill O’Reilly work himself up into a froth over medical costs, and he got particularly exercised over some specialists making huge paychecks; his retort, “C’mon, no doctor needs to make more than say, $400,000” rang a little hollow coming from a multi-millionaire commentator. Suffice it to say,…
“We’ve been trying for years to address our maldistribution <sic> of physicians in the country. We have all sorts of incentive programs and all sorts of ways to try to get them to go out to Podunk, but a lot of them just don’t want to go to Podunk.” So a fix is proposed by…
The health care system is failing. The assault on the autonomy and integrity – such as it remains – of U.S. doctors is years underway. Patients have more radical premium jacks to look forward to thanks to the tender mercies of Obamacare, even as access will become more difficult. Our national medical programs for the…
Wouldn’t it be fun, or at least less stressful, to pursue a medical career in one of those third world countries with lower expectations? Just hang a shingle on the nearest palm tree or ant mound, check the supplies of local herbs, healing crystals, and knock-off Cipro, pour a glass of rum, and wait for…
Oh man, me and TV preachers, don’t get me started. I’ve enjoyed watching these charlatans since the 1970’s and always marvel at the different ways they entice people to open their wallets. Slap some supposed endorsement from the Almighty on a product and watch it move (if someone needed actual proof of effectiveness to sell…
In between reading holiday stories about radical Islamists’ new hoverboard’s catching on fire, I came across a story about depression among residents. I skimmed it, not really caring about whiny residents or their situational blues that as far as I know are just par for training. But then my bloodshot eye lingered on a link…
The NY Times Op-Ed article entitled, “Doctor, Shut Up and Listen” was another potshot at physicians. Even the title told you what was coming. Before I even read it, I surmised that this piece was about doctors rushing patients and missing things. And I was right. Do you know how I knew? Because the system…
I think you really should check out this special report about the fraud going on in India’s medical school system. Here are some of my favorite highlights: They are using fake or dummy patients to pass inspections and prove that they actually see real patients. More than one out of every six of the country’s…
Drill Sergeant: God damn it, Gump! You’re a god damn genius! The above quote is what came to my mind when I started to read this article. Here is the first sentence: Early evidence suggests that emergency rooms have become busier since the Affordable Care Act expanded insurance coverage this year, despite the law’s goal…
I kept getting the warning emails like these from the American Academy of Family Practice: Don’t let your membership be canceled. Pay your dues. For only $685 a year (a price that has climbed since I started), I could be in their good graces. My best friend and former medical partner always thought of it…