FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Mr. Ypsi]

(Dr) KR,

Sorry I forgot about residency - I'll amend to 'eventually rich guys'!

But could you clarify how Navy medicine is not more "Socialist ... er socialized medicine" than any single-payer proposal currently in the pipeline?  I fault Obama's and Clinton's proposals for being far too timid. 

The current system has American healthcare by far the most expensive in the world, despite below average longevity and infant mortality rates, and insurance company execs raking in obscene 'earnings' - am I missing something about how great things are now?

[Retired Old Rat]

Advice from a recent consumer of medical care at two teaching hospitals to anyone who may
be a resident soon:

Tell the patient who the hell you are and why you are in the room.  I hate the ones who just come in and lurk.  Except for one guy, I always made them tell me this.

The only guy that got a pass was when I had a Neurosurgeon, an Otologist/Neurotologist, their
respective residents, a med student and a fellow (and my wife) all in a very small exam
room at the same time.  I let the fellow off the hook as I was being poked and prodded by
various combinations of the others.

Guy walks into the La (or any bar in Stearns County).  Someone asks him what he does.  He responds "I'm a fellow."  I wonder what happens next?

[stanbob]

(Dr) KR,

Sorry I forgot about residency - I'll amend to 'eventually rich guys'!

But could you clarify how Navy medicine is not more "Socialist ... er socialized medicine" than any single-payer proposal currently in the pipeline?  I fault Obama's and Clinton's proposals for being far too timid. 

The current system has American healthcare by far the most expensive in the world, despite below average longevity and infant mortality rates, and insurance company execs raking in obscene 'earnings' - am I missing something about how great things are now?

was gonna make a comment before i remembered you cannot argue with a liberal, now i will sit back and take in my karma (all time high) bashing

[Kilted Rat]

ROR,
I agree with you 100%. If you are in a room with a patient and you have not been introduced, either introduce yourself or leave. Patients, especially surgical patients, are nervous enough without 3 mystery people staring at them and ocassionally touching them.

(Dr) KR,

Sorry I forgot about residency - I'll amend to 'eventually rich guys'!

But could you clarify how Navy medicine is not more "Socialist ... er socialized medicine" than any single-payer proposal currently in the pipeline?  I fault Obama's and Clinton's proposals for being far too timid. 

The current system has American healthcare by far the most expensive in the world, despite below average longevity and infant mortality rates, and insurance company execs raking in obscene 'earnings' - am I missing something about how great things are now?

Navy and all military medicine is fairly similar to socialized medicine and it is very inefficient on it's best days. This among other reasons is why so many docs are leaving the military as soon as they can causing a physician shortage in the military to the point that the Navy is offering $20,000 sign on bonuses to med students.


There are countless reasons why America lags behind other countries in many "healthcare quality categories." Not the least of which is the fact that we are the fattest country on the planet, we walk/bike less than any other country, we have more fast food restaurants than anyone else, we smoked more over the past 75 years than anyone else, etc. The list can go on and on the only variable is how much time you have to read the list and how much I can type before I get carpal tunnel syndrome.

Are you saying the US has below average infant mortality rates? Wouldn't that be a good thing? Presuming that you meant the opposite, one of the greatest predictors of infant mortality is whether or not the mother had gestational diabetes, which is much much more common in obese women which the US has no shortage of, and based on my OB rotations, I feel qualified to say there are a very large number of big women out there who are remarkably fertile.

Finally, most countries that the US is compared to in terms of healthcare results don't have as strict of regulations regarding the collection of data in terms of negative outcomes, deaths, etc. The reason the data is so accurately recorded is the litiginous nature of our society.

I agree it is ridiculous the salaries insurance company execs are making and the concept of paying money into an insurance company for them to tell you what healthcare you can and can't have.

Want to know why healthcare in the US is the "most expensive in the world"? Malpractice insurance and insurance companies. Most doctors are so afraid of being sued that they practice defensive medicine ordering multiple un-needed tests to cover their a$$e$ in the event of a lawsuit.
Quick example of malpractice costs for ya; the average Neurosurgeon in the state of Missouri pays $750,000 a year in malpractice insurance to get reimbursed the same amount or less for doing a procedure than they were getting reimbursed 20 years ago. 

[OzJohnnie]

But could you clarify how Navy medicine is not more "Socialist ... er socialized medicine" than any single-payer proposal currently in the pipeline?

Might be the bullets, although that's not a certainty.  And it might be that in enlisting in the military a person forfeits some Rights (like the First Amendment, Goldman v Weinberger, 1986).  And it might be that it's voluntary.

So, if you're arguing that current proposals entail the forfeiture of Rights, then one may agree there is no difference.  On the voluntary nature of these proposals, I think the military has one up.

I fault Obama's and Clinton's proposals for being far too timid.

Then they are obviously flawed.

The current system has American healthcare by far the most expensive in the world, despite below average longevity and infant mortality rates, and insurance company execs raking in obscene 'earnings' - am I missing something about how great things are now?

I think you make an effort to focus on what sounds bad, rather than what is good, and the result is an unrealistically negative view of the US health care system.  For instance, according to Datamonitor:

* 95% of US breast cancer cases are detected early in stages I or II.  20% of European cases are detected in late stages.

* The US survival rate for leukemia is 50%.  Europe? 35%.

Sure the US is expensive.  My father-in-law's hip replacement in the "free" Australian public system happened after a 13 month wait with two separate two-month delays on the day of the surgery.  In the US, under 5% of patients wait longer than 4 months for elective surgery.  I wonder if he would have minded the premiums to be rid of his hip pain 7 months sooner.

So in answer to your question, yes, I think you are missing how great things are.


I now look for retagent to chastise me for posting this, but like a moth to a flame I couldn't resist.  Weakness.  It's what separates us from JC.

[57Johnnie]

Developing....

Perfect for the Wild game tonight.

57- your squad is going down! 

You may be right Bob - but not in 4  +k for your help.
Whoever awards stars in St. Paul sucks. Fedoruk gets a PP goal and gets 3 while Koivu and Sakic get
ZIP?   

[BDB]

Developing....

Perfect for the Wild game tonight.

57- your squad is going down! 

You may be right Bob - but not in 4  +k for your help.
Whoever awards stars in St. Paul sucks. Fedoruk gets a PP goal and gets 3 while Koivu and Sakic get
ZIP?   

57- I'll eat my crow/liver-pate after that OT loss. 

Losing Shultz may be the bummer on this playoff run.

Nice time for an appendectomy. 

[BDB]

By the way...

" I'm dreaming, of a white, Mother's Day..." 



Nice flippin' spring weather. 

[57Johnnie]

By the way...

" I'm dreaming, of a white, Mother's Day..." 



Nice flippin' spring weather. 

Amen. We had shirtsleeve weather yesterday and I'm getting ready to go out and shovel snow this morning.  Skiers are happy as we got a ton (well a couple of feet anyway) of snow in the mountains the last few days. 

[DuffMan]

Nice flippin' spring weather. 

I'm with you, BDB.  I'm headed up to the Rainy River next week.  I hope this crap is gone.  It's supposed to be nice, but at this rate, I could be in for a miserable trip. 

[BDB]

Nice flippin' spring weather. 

I'm with you, BDB.  I'm headed up to the Rainy River next week.  I hope this crap is gone.  It's supposed to be nice, but at this rate, I could be in for a miserable trip. 

Seems to me you went camping on the north shore this time last year and froze your Duff. 

Anywho, better pack some long johns. 

[DuffMan]

Nice flippin' spring weather. 

I'm with you, BDB.  I'm headed up to the Rainy River next week.  I hope this crap is gone.  It's supposed to be nice, but at this rate, I could be in for a miserable trip. 

Seems to me you went camping on the north shore this time last year and froze your Duff. 

Anywho, better pack some long johns. 

Nope, the North Shore trip is usually the end of September.  This is my annual Rainy River Sturgeon Extravaganza!  Early reports for mid-60's next week.  I'll either come back with frostbite or a sunburn.

[Ralph Turner]

Are you saying the US has below average infant mortality rates? Wouldn't that be a good thing? Presuming that you meant the opposite, one of the greatest predictors of infant mortality is whether or not the mother had gestational diabetes, which is much much more common in obese women which the US has no shortage of, and based on my OB rotations, I feel qualified to say there are a very large number of big women out there who are remarkably fertile...

Great summary.

There is one other component to infant mortality rates...

In the hospital in which I practice, a hospital in a system of 14 hospitals that comprise the #12 largest health care system in the country*, a 500 gram 25 week premature infant is considered "savable" and all efforts are used to save the child with a 50% chance of living.  Families may ask me to do everything I can beginning at 23 completed weeks of gestation (out of a full term 40 weeks).  Many European countries do not begin to try to save babies until 28 completed weeks gestation or 2 lbs 3 ozs, 1000 gms birth weight.  In my hospital, a 28 "weeker" has a 90% chance of "graduating from first grade".

Let me share an alternative website for health care information.

http://cdhc.ncpa.org/

*(Its major competitor is the 10th largest hospital system in the country and has similar guidelines.)

One last health care axiom...

High Quality, Low Cost, Ready Access...

Which 2 of the 3 do you want?

[retagent]

OZ - I would never criticize you, especially when you're right.

When all the complainers start going to Canada or France for their medical care, I'll start worrying.

[Rugman]

One last health care axiom...

High Quality, Low Cost, Ready Access...

Which 2 of the 3 do you want?

I'll take 2/3's of each.