Updates and thoughts

I chatted with an orthopedic surgeon last night, he was a pretty young (35ish) guy, not married, no family, just working and being a surgeon... and he hated his job!  He said that the main problem with the system right now is that we (doctors) have to take an "us against them" mentality.  He said that every patient is a potential lawsuit so you have to work, not to take care of the patient, but to do what will make them happy and not sue you, but they might sue you anyway.  How can health care be administered well if patient care has to take second place behind covering your butt!?  In order for any health care system implemented to work, malpractice has to be reformed.

That is actually one reason why I want to practice in Canada.  People in Canada are just different, they aren't looking to sue doctors for the smallest thing.  I don't even know what it is really, but the attitude is different.  I mean, my doctors have messed up before, they have misdiagnosed broken limbs and other things and we didn't sue, we went to a different doctor or said, oh well, I guess he is human too!  There is no excuse for negligence or malicious intent, but the reasons that people in the US sue doctors are absolutely ridiculous and the fact that they win those lawsuits says something about the whole system.   

So, what could be done to make health care better?  I don't know, but I have been talking to people recently about the proper role of Government (inspired mainly by Mike Vedomske, although he didn't say anything, but his conservative views sear my sole).  There is a company here called Qliance that charges about $50 a month to take care of all routine health care needs, labs, etc but doesn't cover any emergency or hospital care.  I think this is a great idea, that you can pay a small amount and have all of the routine and preventive things covered, but then you have to pay a million dollars to be covered in the hospitals.  is this a step in the right direction?  I think so, but it's only a step.  I think that the market can and should bring some option besides the government paying to take care of everybody, but until someone brings an affordable option with the intention of taking care of a large group of people (mainly primary care with the patient centered medical home model) that is not established to make millions of dollars but to pay a decent salary to the people who start it, the government is out only option really.  Which stinks!

So somebody please come forward with a better option, the people need it, and the government doesn't need the added responsibility to take care of our health...