This article should be a "must read" for everyone. It compares the many health plans in the U.S. to the single payer Canadian health care system.
I practiced family medicine for almost fifty years and I can state that every word in this article is true. Our health care system is too expensive and wasteful. Too much health care money goes to the for-profit insurance industry. Too much time is wasted deciding whether or not a necessary test, procedure or treatment will be paid for. The doctor's office and treatment facilities drown in unnecessary paperwork, as are services such as laboratories and and other necessary providers.
The 18000+ Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) and a majority of nurses believe that the only answer
is a single payer system. But our federal legislatures will not let that happen. Money talks!
Melvin H Kirschner BA BS MPH MD
Dr. K's book "All Medicines Are Poison!" discusses many of the shortcomings of the U.S. health care system.
www.allmedicinesarepoison.com
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Dr. Reynolds. More than a mentor...
I first met Dr. Reynolds when I was in medical school. He practiced general medicine and in the addition to honing our diagnostic skills, he made the patient/doctor relationship a very important part of our training. Our first two years of training was at the classrooms of the University of Southern California's campus. Our second two years were spent on the vast Los Angeles County Hospital wards.
Although we were exposed to many specialties and many specialists at the hospital, our "home room teacher" was Dr. Reynolds. It was he who molded everything that we learned into a pattern that represented the comprehensive medical care expected of the family doctor. After I completed training and went into practice, it was not unusual to see doctor Reynolds at continuing educational functions.
Years after I became a practicing family physician, one of my patients presented with mysterious symptoms. I hospitalized her and was unable to determine the cause of her illness. None of my consultants could offer a cause or recommend a treatment.
I called my old professor Dr. Reynolds. He remembered me and offered to come and see my patient. After examining my patient he was also complexed by the symptoms. He noted that the mysterious illness was being reported in the international literature. Shortly thereafter, the international medical literature reported the cause of the mysterious illness and proposed a treatment, but no cure.
After 50 years of family practice, I'm retired and writing essays and books about medicine. Dr. Reynolds is long gone but still remembered. I'm proud to say that he was my mentor.
Although we were exposed to many specialties and many specialists at the hospital, our "home room teacher" was Dr. Reynolds. It was he who molded everything that we learned into a pattern that represented the comprehensive medical care expected of the family doctor. After I completed training and went into practice, it was not unusual to see doctor Reynolds at continuing educational functions.
Years after I became a practicing family physician, one of my patients presented with mysterious symptoms. I hospitalized her and was unable to determine the cause of her illness. None of my consultants could offer a cause or recommend a treatment.
I called my old professor Dr. Reynolds. He remembered me and offered to come and see my patient. After examining my patient he was also complexed by the symptoms. He noted that the mysterious illness was being reported in the international literature. Shortly thereafter, the international medical literature reported the cause of the mysterious illness and proposed a treatment, but no cure.
After 50 years of family practice, I'm retired and writing essays and books about medicine. Dr. Reynolds is long gone but still remembered. I'm proud to say that he was my mentor.
Why do so many people in this Country have inadequate health coverage or none at all?
As health arena worker and a family physician for over 60 years, I was always concerned about the fact that so many people in this Country have inadequate health coverage or none at all.
It certainly influenced how I practiced medicine. I saw to it that everyone who enter my medical office door received the treatment that the needed or was sent to an appropriate facility where they could receive it. If necessary, I would take care of their immediate needs until they could get a to free clinic or a hospital. When they were unable to pay my fee, I cancelled it. Never-the-less, I always made a very comfortable living. I believe that many of my colleagues practiced the way I did.
As a doctor, i've always been treated with great respect. I realize that I was fortunate to receive an excellent education and degrees at the five highly regarded universities that I attended. It was hard work and dedication, but worth it. I'm proud of my Country that made it possible for a poor boy from a poor family to do this and I consider what I did as a medical doctor to be pay back. Now that I'm retired from active practice, I continue to be involved in the medical arena whenever I can be of value.
I sincerely believe that at least 95% of our society are good people who wish the best for our fellow humans. Unfortunately I'm convinced that greedy, self centered people own this Country. I'm now 85 years old. I won't be alive to see our people take our Country back, but I hope that it will happen soon.
Melvin H Kirschner, BA BS MPH MD
Author of: All Medicines Are Poison!
It certainly influenced how I practiced medicine. I saw to it that everyone who enter my medical office door received the treatment that the needed or was sent to an appropriate facility where they could receive it. If necessary, I would take care of their immediate needs until they could get a to free clinic or a hospital. When they were unable to pay my fee, I cancelled it. Never-the-less, I always made a very comfortable living. I believe that many of my colleagues practiced the way I did.
As a doctor, i've always been treated with great respect. I realize that I was fortunate to receive an excellent education and degrees at the five highly regarded universities that I attended. It was hard work and dedication, but worth it. I'm proud of my Country that made it possible for a poor boy from a poor family to do this and I consider what I did as a medical doctor to be pay back. Now that I'm retired from active practice, I continue to be involved in the medical arena whenever I can be of value.
I sincerely believe that at least 95% of our society are good people who wish the best for our fellow humans. Unfortunately I'm convinced that greedy, self centered people own this Country. I'm now 85 years old. I won't be alive to see our people take our Country back, but I hope that it will happen soon.
Melvin H Kirschner, BA BS MPH MD
Author of: All Medicines Are Poison!
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