List Archives

Wed Jul 29 04:04:11 BST 2009

Ken  

Ken Mattox's suggestion is right on target.  There are many skilled people capable of recommending fixes for the bad and building upon the good.  A SWAT analysis combined with the development of a set of prioritized actionable steps makes sense.  

I feel uneasy about the rush to treat without a care plan, especially with an economy in shambles that will likely worsen as the commercial lending crisis becomes more obvious.  Inappropriate healthcare legislation to make the American public feel good in a recession is just plain wrong.  

Reading an unbiased summary of the proposed bill is very telling regardless of one's political affiliation.  I would encourage that every healthcare provider look at the details of the bill, and not rely totally on CNN, MSNBC and FOX.  There are websites, media news programs, and blogs on both sides of the healthcare issue that are worth noting.  During such a review it would help to identify objectionable provisions, including those that have already been deleted to understand the mindset of the people behind the bill.  They are the ones who will appoint the beaurocrats to implement the legislation if it passes and the government plays a role. I found many that are of concern to patient care.  Some issues raise ethical questions, including limiting care to the elderly as suggested by one of its former senatorial proponents.  

I am also concerned about the issue of "trust." How much should we trust government, healthcare lobbying interests, and organized medicine. It would be reckless to leave the solution to special interests that are contrary to our healthcare mission.  Though the influence of the medical and nursing community has been diminished over the years, we need to be heard on this - we all must be represented in the solution, but above all the patient needs to be represented as well.

Even if it the proposed legislation fails to materialize this summer, the issue will be addressed sooner than later.  Unless the issues are addressed in a well thought out manner no universal healthcare plan will ever significantly reduce costs.  This is not a problem to be solved by emergency surgery. 

We need time to fix healthcare, however, the reforms should be be responsible and carefully thought out.  This message needs to get to our governors and legislators.  Let your voices be heard.

Richard Besserman, M.D.
Emergency Management
Arizona State University

________________________________
From: "KMATTOX at aol.com" <KMATTOX at aol.com>
To: trauma-list at trauma.org
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2009 5:50:12 PM
Subject: Private Foundation  to Construct Health Care Reform for the USA

In a message dated 7/28/2009 7:38:37 P.M. Central Daylight Time,  
neilmullen04 at yahoo.com writes:

So let's  stop picking our favourite examples of government or industry 
cockups to  justify individual positions, and instead come up with evidence and 
data that  can be used to show the way forward.

Fiona
My best shot at an example.   Almost exactly 100 years ago,  health 
education at the under graduate and graduate levels was in  shambles.   The 
government went to The Carnigie Foundation and they  found Dr. Flexner who spent 
several years touring every medical school in the  United States.   His 
report, The Flexner Report reformed every aspect  of medical education.    

I now strongly recommend that a foundation like RWJ, Bill Gates, Dell, etc. 
fund a similar national attempt to bring together in a non-political  
non-partisan manner, an interview process with stakeholders in order to tabulate 
all of the issues, and then with a blue ribbon, stakeholders council,  
construction a consumer focused, health system which is an integrated  
collaborative network.      

k

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Private Foundation to Construct Health Care Reform for the USA