Saturday, January 31, 2009

Doctors

Before you read any farther, I want you to know that this is not my opinion of all doctors, nor is any doctor necessarily guilty of all of these things. However, I feel like venting on the occasional futility of the health care system – into which Americans pour millions upon millions of dollars each year. There have been studies (I read about a few in Empty Cradle) that showed no difference between families that spent 40% more money receiving more health care services than those who didn’t. Some things to think about.
Doctors:
Tell you what you already know. For example, “There is a lump.” Or “You are sick.”
Run diagnostic tests. If the results are negative, you are no better off, but they feel content with the job they have done. They are guards of public health, reassuring themselves that you do not have any exotic infectious, quarantine-requiring diseases.
Have no interest in diagnosing what you have if it is inconvenient, only what you do not have.
Say you have a virus, which they refuse to treat, as though it were nothing. Influenza is a virus that has killed thousands or more.
Prescribe and recommend medications that either prolong your symptoms or whose side effects are worse than your symptoms.
Order tests for diseases that are untreatable.
Do not understand tests.
Change their minds.
Inoculate you against diseases which are almost impossible for you to contract.
Charge outrageous prices for exercises you could do yourself at home.
Require useless follow-ups that take them two minutes and cost you a full exam fee.
Believe so much in whatever they were taught by experts in school that they doubt your common sense.
Desire to see you annually for physicals and screenings which will not contribute to your health or quality of life – but may contribute to their statistics, and definitely to their bankroll.
Are enslaved by the insurance and welfare systems, requiring hours of paperwork and follow-up to verify claims.
Stick together.
Leave most of the work to nurses.
Gullibly believe “experts” in almost every other field, rather than thinking critically about subjects outside their college major(s).

To God be all glory.

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