This is Personal: The Patient-Physician Relationship

PGY 40, Day 344

"This is Personal: The Patient-Physician Relationship", was written by me and it is, simply, my opinion ... perhaps not? 

I sent it to the Veritas Health Care Working Group on June 8, 2013, and it is posted here so anyone who wishes can read and respond.

TO: Veritas Health Care Working Group (VeritasHC.org)
From: MFM
Regarding: This is personal.

Please respond, be critical and tell us about your personal experiences inside "The Business of Medicine."

Thanks,
MFM
This is Personal: The Patient-Physician Relationship
by
Michael F. Mascia, MD, MPH

Why would I put my life in the hands of someone whom I do not trust?  Why would I put my life in the hands of a Physician who is forced to cut corners on care by hospitals and third parties?  Don't do it!  Elective? Put it off.

I work with all the casualties ... I see the ones that come in off the street and I see those that come from the hospital.  What I see is very disturbing.  It is NOT RIGHT and it has to change.  Help us change it.

Picture this: Imagine you are the patient. You come in for elective surgery first thing in the morning.  Your attending anesthesiologist is with you and there are no records to reflect preoperative clearance.  He has 2 other patients ... 2 other cases to start at 7:15 ,,, the same time your case is scheduled to start.  So he is hustling and he has little help.  Your "anesthesia provider" is an inexperienced resident and the attending anesthesiologist has to teach and verify that everything is done properly to minimize the risk to you. And, the anesthesiologist knows this: standards of care dictate that certain information in addition to his history and physical is required to meet BEST PRACTICE STANDARDS.  These STANDARDS also dictate certain preconditions.  But the anesthesiologist does not have that information ... he requests it.  And ... your blood sugar is a little high ... got to bring it down before we go.  And, we have to make sure we have blood available in case of a disaster.  Big surgery = high risk.

BUT, the factory pushes ... all eyes are on this anesthesiologist ... because he is SLOWING THE LINE DOWN.  Yes, that's right, you are being treated like a hunk of meat on a production line.  That's the way you are seen ... A HUNK OF MEAT BEING PROCESSED ... and, God forbid the Anesthesiologist hold up the line, or STOP THE LINE for the sake of good OUTCOME.  Yes, I have been that anesthesiologist and when I work that line, I put myself in the position of the patient ... that is the only way to guarantee BEST PRACTICES.  But, if I stop the line, I become "THE PROBLEM" and all the pressure is on me, and they just want to REPLACE ME with someone who does not know any better.  They call this "Production Pressure" and it is an evil reflection of Profit over People that is rampant throughout US hospitals ... every day ... across the country.

Yes, the Business of Medicine in conjunction with third party payers has violated our trust.  By undermining the Physician, they undermine the Patient-Physician Relationship and "Best Care" in favor of Profit.  We all feel it and some of us know it.  That's why everyone I ask ... Patient, Physician, Nurse, other provider ... is disgusted by it.  And, that's why Veritas Health Care is working to create alternatives to Business as usual in Health and Healthcare.

It is the allegiance between patient and physician, and yes, the strength of the bond between Patient and Physician that dictates the healing power of the Patient-Physician relationship.  Over the last 30 years, third parties have systematically disrupted this bond, in favor of "medicine by the numbers", corporate doctoring, third party power and profits over patients.  There is increasing awareness of the problems

Veritas Health Care recognizes the values of the physician-patient relationship and is dedicated to supporting others who value it.

This is personal.

Please join us.

We have tools that will help you Take The Best Care™© of yourself and we will teach you how become an equal member of the healthcare team ... how to help your doctor Take The Best Care™© of you, if and when that becomes necessary.

Dr. Mike