I’ve not responded before to any post, and I am an HD reader for years. I am a retired dermatologist, and I guess it falls to me to offer dissent. Are there bad apples in medicine? Sure, I met a few - very few - hackers in my 40 year career. The VAST majority of my colleagues were/are highly intelligent, exquisitely trained, reluctant to intervene capriciously, and dedicated to their profession and their patients. Reality: not every person is diagnosable. The very best surgeon can have a lousy result. You’re not talking about repairing a refrigerator. The human body consists of 30 trillion cells, each performing complex chemical reactions every second. Every one of the thirteen organ systems operates in concert with the others to achieve the highest level of function possible. I am unaware of any surgeon who factors in the financial gain before recommending a procedure - although I guess it’s possible. One is taught to make the most accurate decision based on the best available information, and then to make a recommendation to the patient - I liked to lay out options and if asked would offer an opinion, applying the “ if this was my family member what would I do” standard. Lest we forget, death stalks us all. The highest standard of care applied to ideal patients in perfect circumstances will not prevent ultimate death. Believe me, physicians are trained to do the utmost to relieve suffering. It’s our “raison d’etre.” I found a great deal of cynicism and skepticism in the posts. The CDC doesn’t list medical errors in the leading causes of death in the US. The US offers the best healthcare in the world, bar none. The excess mortality rates people sometimes cite that lower US ages at death are due entirely to drug overdoses and suicide. US healthcare is the envy of the world - how else to explain so many people coming here from overseas for care? Can it be better? Always. Can it be done cheaper? Possibly. The dynamic that exists is people want the best possible diagnostic tests, and the best possible treatment, for no out of pocket cost, and so help me God I’ll sue you if you don’t deliver. You wonder why 2/3 of American physicians are burned out? Try pouring your blood, sweat, and tears into helping people, and then reading posts about how you are a money grubbing so and so who couldn’t care less about your pain. my rant has ended. God’s blessings to anyone who reads this, and Happy Easter!
Comments
I’ve not responded before to any post, and I am an HD reader for years. I am a retired dermatologist, and I guess it falls to me to offer dissent. Are there bad apples in medicine? Sure, I met a few - very few - hackers in my 40 year career. The VAST majority of my colleagues were/are highly intelligent, exquisitely trained, reluctant to intervene capriciously, and dedicated to their profession and their patients. Reality: not every person is diagnosable. The very best surgeon can have a lousy result. You’re not talking about repairing a refrigerator. The human body consists of 30 trillion cells, each performing complex chemical reactions every second. Every one of the thirteen organ systems operates in concert with the others to achieve the highest level of function possible. I am unaware of any surgeon who factors in the financial gain before recommending a procedure - although I guess it’s possible. One is taught to make the most accurate decision based on the best available information, and then to make a recommendation to the patient - I liked to lay out options and if asked would offer an opinion, applying the “ if this was my family member what would I do” standard. Lest we forget, death stalks us all. The highest standard of care applied to ideal patients in perfect circumstances will not prevent ultimate death. Believe me, physicians are trained to do the utmost to relieve suffering. It’s our “raison d’etre.” I found a great deal of cynicism and skepticism in the posts. The CDC doesn’t list medical errors in the leading causes of death in the US. The US offers the best healthcare in the world, bar none. The excess mortality rates people sometimes cite that lower US ages at death are due entirely to drug overdoses and suicide. US healthcare is the envy of the world - how else to explain so many people coming here from overseas for care? Can it be better? Always. Can it be done cheaper? Possibly. The dynamic that exists is people want the best possible diagnostic tests, and the best possible treatment, for no out of pocket cost, and so help me God I’ll sue you if you don’t deliver. You wonder why 2/3 of American physicians are burned out? Try pouring your blood, sweat, and tears into helping people, and then reading posts about how you are a money grubbing so and so who couldn’t care less about your pain. my rant has ended. God’s blessings to anyone who reads this, and Happy Easter!
Post: Screw politics, let’s talk health. Are all surgeries necessary or have we become the college tuition bank for the doctor’s children?
Link to comment from April 18, 2025