Comments on: The Number One Culprit in Modern Medicine: Guesswork http://laissezfairehealthcare.com/2008/01/26/the-number-one-culprit-in-modern-medicine-guesswork/ An open forum for the discussion of health care in a free market economy... Thu, 04 Dec 2008 01:08:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU hourly 1 By: bart http://laissezfairehealthcare.com/2008/01/26/the-number-one-culprit-in-modern-medicine-guesswork/#comment-254 bart Mon, 04 Feb 2008 04:49:47 +0000 http://bartmccollum.wordpress.com/?p=43#comment-254 thanks for your comments thanks for your comments

]]> By: Raphs http://laissezfairehealthcare.com/2008/01/26/the-number-one-culprit-in-modern-medicine-guesswork/#comment-249 Raphs Thu, 31 Jan 2008 03:11:27 +0000 http://bartmccollum.wordpress.com/?p=43#comment-249 Agreed, especially with the final point about the need for better dissemination of research. My impression is that many of the best doctors at the best research hospitals are able to stay far more aware of new ideas, treatment options (and risks) than Johnny Primarycare is. PS- What this post could really use is a few more tags. Agreed, especially with the final point about the need for better dissemination of research. My impression is that many of the best doctors at the best research hospitals are able to stay far more aware of new ideas, treatment options (and risks) than Johnny Primarycare is.

PS- What this post could really use is a few more tags.

]]> By: nunoftheabove http://laissezfairehealthcare.com/2008/01/26/the-number-one-culprit-in-modern-medicine-guesswork/#comment-248 nunoftheabove Mon, 28 Jan 2008 19:44:55 +0000 http://bartmccollum.wordpress.com/?p=43#comment-248 So true...I believe that doctors do want to try whatever resources that they have at their disposal and sometimes the insurance companies balk at the expense. So was the case of Natalie Sarkisyan who died awaiting her insurance's approval for a liver transplant. Whether the transplant would have helped or not, she became the poster child for the greedy insurance company versus the dying patient. Never a good position to be in for either side. Primary care physicians also practice what I call CYA medicine. Anything that a patient comes in with usually results in a battery of tests "just in case" or at least a prescription even if the illness may resolve itself without additional medication. Patients almost demand the latest prescription that is being hawked on tv by the pharmaceutical companies who know how to make their products the panacea for all maladies. There is even a fomula that is used in the UK and US to determine at what point a procedure is cost efficient. http://www.prgweb.com/pdf/MX%2010-05.pdf Keep your info coming; unfortunately Americans are woefully ignorant about the financial implications of healthcare. So true…I believe that doctors do want to try whatever resources that they have at their disposal and sometimes the insurance companies balk at the expense. So was the case of Natalie Sarkisyan who died awaiting her insurance’s approval for a liver transplant. Whether the transplant would have helped or not, she became the poster child for the greedy insurance company versus the dying patient. Never a good position to be in for either side.

Primary care physicians also practice what I call CYA medicine. Anything that a patient comes in with usually results in a battery of tests “just in case” or at least a prescription even if the illness may resolve itself without additional medication. Patients almost demand the latest prescription that is being hawked on tv by the pharmaceutical companies who know how to make their products the panacea for all maladies.

There is even a fomula that is used in the UK and US to determine at what point a procedure is cost efficient.
http://www.prgweb.com/pdf/MX%2010-05.pdf

Keep your info coming; unfortunately Americans are woefully ignorant about the financial implications of healthcare.

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