Sure there will be, but I, naively optimistic as I am, believe that most people don't sue because they're greedy. I'm sure a lot of people have bad outcomes and could sue but don't because they like their doctor. Anyway, I might actually support eliminating med mal as a cause of action if people had another way to cover them in case of emergency.
If that is the case, please explain to me why every single doctor going into OB/GYN can expect to be sued at least once in their lifetime? And please don't say they're all bad doctors. In addition to the reasons listed above, I also forgot: the need to blame someone else for your own problems. I.e. the mother who smokes, does drugs, doesn't show up for her prenatal visits and has a child with deformities, turns around and sues her OB physician. Happens everyday in the US.
1) I'm sure there could be a more efficient system, if we could get enough support and funding.
2) Consumer choice? I got to choose between three insurance companies, each of which covered the same procedures, with slightly different premiums and copays. Consumer choice does not exist for the vast majority of us.
3) Yes, absolutely. Personally, I think it'd be worth it.
1) Yes and that probably would take years at the very minimum to even setup a system like that, but keep in mind that most things run on a large scale tend to be inefficient, and most things run by the US government tend to be inefficient. Now you're thinking that the US government can realistically run something on a large scale?
2) Different insurance companies cover different diagnoses, charge different amounts, have different medications on formulary, etc. It comes down to more than just price, and plenty of consumers (when diagnosed with less common medical problems), will and do shop around for the insurance company best for them.
3) Take your pick: Canada, or nearly any European country would be a more suitable place for you. If there's one thing American's hate: its taxes.
I live in one of those towns thats consistently in the top 25 zip codes in the US as far as median salary, housing prices etc. Most people here are exceptionally educated, are smart enough to decide on the issues for themselves etc, but at the end of the day when it comes to it most people here (around 90%) would vote republican simply because of that: the taxes (and this is in California too... which is considered a blue state).
Instead of telling doctors they make too much, why not use that lawyer power to go after the crooks on Wall St?
You're totally right. I was not thinking about those who live in NYC, etc. That is a very good point.
Personally I'm not the type to live in a big city. I'd rather just live close to one, but a doctors salary compared to others in a larger city pales in comparison to those who are educated a similar amount, work similar hours, etc.
I sure hope you're right.
I'm guessing part of your frustration with medicine right now is that your husband's a resident and you see his frustration at times. You also see how much time he spends working/training, and any crap he has to take at the hospital. That in turn affects you indirectly, so you're reaching out to us in a means to discuss your situation.
If you think that by increasing the number of doctors in this country, reducing the work hours, and decreasing physician salary will lead to change for the better you're mistaken. There's plenty doctors have to go through even after completing residency (even if they work 40 hours a week) that they need to be prepared for: a patient losing his/her life, complications related to medicine, and patients who you simply can't treat with current therapies, etc. We're compassionate people, that's why we go into medicine. But if anything the training we go through keeps us in check, and prepares us for the situations I've just listed. A doctor has to be strong when everything around him/her really isn't.
No matter how many med schools there are in the US, how easy it is to get into med school, how little/how much doctors make, how many hours we work: we all will still face many of the above situations. The training might be more regulated now (as far as avg hours / week in residency), but the fraternity aspect of medicine will not change for a while, if ever.
Oh well, it was just a suggestion. The thing with other professions though, be it electricians or lawyers, is that you _can_ find someone else who _will_ charge a different amount. And most lawyers will definately work with you on the fees if your case is good enough.
You can also find a doctor who will charge a cheaper rate. You can find different doctors who accept different insurances. Now while you might be able to find them (in any profession), they're also more likely to be busier. They might not necessarily be better either. But a lot of what you implied and other people implied is that doctors as a whole need to take a pay cut. If you honestly think we make too much money: do it the American way --> vote with your pocketbook.
Stop contacting the services of any type of doctor. If we don't have enough patients, by market forces alone, our salaries will go down.
I personally think the people that the vast majority (95-99%+) of the people that work on Wall St are crooks. I will never pay or let any of them manage my money. Can I force other people to do the same? No. Will I tell anyone else that they should follow my footsteps? Nah.
You're a lawyer. I'm sure you've seen some things that would help break the naivety I sense in a lot of your posts. I don't know how much you've worked, what type of law you are specializing in, or if you are currently working. But I do feel like some of what you are saying applies to the real world, and is in part just a pipe dream.
Please don't take that personally. You seem like a good intentioned person, and I obviously don't know you aside from that.
