tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7323692122514281455.post2349485064705020774..comments2024-03-22T17:05:55.267-04:00Comments on MD Whistleblower: Overtreatment and Unnecessary Medical Care: Healthcare's Biggest ThreatMichael Kirsch, M.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07555280388086931097noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7323692122514281455.post-8599928919191874602011-09-26T11:08:20.609-04:002011-09-26T11:08:20.609-04:00over-treatment that's dangerous. we actually s...over-treatment that's dangerous. we actually suspected that my grandfather died because of over-treatment but there's no way we can prove it. we don't know anything, we just put our faith in the hands of the medical team whose handling my grand.<br /><br /><a href="http://techniciansalary.net/medical-assistant-salary-by-state/" rel="nofollow">salary of medical assistant by state</a>Merr Haphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11638184365068031957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7323692122514281455.post-46315256094296692952011-03-18T16:25:01.167-04:002011-03-18T16:25:01.167-04:00"Incentives for patients with medical insuran..."Incentives for patients with medical insurance to over-utilize care...." Exactly why we must empower people to question their providers. This has some ideas: http://whatstherealcost.org/video.php?post=five-questionsSusannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7323692122514281455.post-62399704692723839122011-02-19T15:20:04.162-05:002011-02-19T15:20:04.162-05:00Dr. Kirsch,
Thanks for your kind words about Over...Dr. Kirsch,<br /><br />Thanks for your kind words about Overtreated. I enjoyed your podcasts, too. One doctor told me that there would always be defensive medicine until the patient's right to sue was completely eliminated! <br /><br />Here's a thought about tort reform: what if we changed the standard of informed consent to ensure that patients really are informed about tradeoffs involved in elective procedures and tests, and that physicians share the decision more? <br /><br />Shannon Brownlee<br />(If you'd like to email me, just google Brownlee and New America Foundation.)Shannon Brownleehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02830276421398983266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7323692122514281455.post-22160448472137847152011-02-19T07:22:29.221-05:002011-02-19T07:22:29.221-05:00@A. Bailey, sarcasm noted and appreciated!@A. Bailey, sarcasm noted and appreciated!Michael Kirsch, M.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07555280388086931097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7323692122514281455.post-26748522850246856292011-02-18T12:13:54.638-05:002011-02-18T12:13:54.638-05:00Dear MD Whistleblower,
My name is Barbara O’Brie...Dear MD Whistleblower,<br /><br /><br />My name is Barbara O’Brien and I am a political blogger. Just had a question about your blog and couldn’t find an email—please get back to me as soon as you can (barbaraobrien(at)maacenter.org)<br /><br />Thanks,<br />BarbaraAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7323692122514281455.post-2399463437243798072011-02-16T09:32:54.484-05:002011-02-16T09:32:54.484-05:00What we need is massive amounts of Federal legisla...What we need is massive amounts of Federal legislation controlling the ordering of tests and therapy in order to rein in escalating health care costs.A. Baileynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7323692122514281455.post-83191484026719125982011-02-15T14:35:15.942-05:002011-02-15T14:35:15.942-05:00See also "Overdo$ed America." And, many ...See also "Overdo$ed America." And, many of Dr. Robert Burton's writings regarding "the Worried Well." Joe Flower also has some spot-on commentary in his "Five Frameworks..." series.BobbyGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03807934795994985233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7323692122514281455.post-55490807021556870472011-02-13T18:49:11.193-05:002011-02-13T18:49:11.193-05:00Great post! Sounds like a number of must reads her...Great post! Sounds like a number of must reads here. Regarding the risk of over use of medical technology, you should read Bob Wachtner's blog on the risks of imaging.<br /><br />http://community.the-hospitalist.org/blogs/wachters_world/archive/2011/02/11/a-game-changing-statistic-1-in-250.aspxThe Medical Contrarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09240492315542223258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7323692122514281455.post-72056056954957679042011-02-13T14:53:57.233-05:002011-02-13T14:53:57.233-05:00Great comments, all. @A Bailey, tough questions y...Great comments, all. @A Bailey, tough questions you pose. There are many reasons why physicians order procedures. Often, I think we blend several of these reasons when we recommend a test. We may do so because of medical need, litigation fear, patient demand, insecurity or for profit, among other reasons.Michael Kirsch, M.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07555280388086931097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7323692122514281455.post-23979224292298657822011-02-13T13:55:05.330-05:002011-02-13T13:55:05.330-05:00A young friend of mine went off to medical school ...A young friend of mine went off to medical school a couple of years ago. I had just finished doing a lot of reading as I helped hubby research his own book "Too Profitable to Cure." Despite the wealth of insight I learned during my research, I gifted my young friend with a copy of "Hippocrates' Shadow" by David H. Newman, MD as she began her arduous journey. I might suggest THIS as required reading, as it emphasizes (among other things) the lost art of listening and patient-doctor partnership.<br /><br />MelodyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7323692122514281455.post-59283811357296313992011-02-13T13:20:53.366-05:002011-02-13T13:20:53.366-05:00I also recently read Brownlee's book and could...I also recently read Brownlee's book and couldn't agree with you more. I am sharing it with my nephew who is currently a med student and I hope he passes it along too. We have a lot to learn from Brownlee and the failings of our medical system. Thanks, Doc, for putting it on the forefront.Jaime K.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7323692122514281455.post-64814131071171837952011-02-13T13:13:21.191-05:002011-02-13T13:13:21.191-05:00None of this is new, of course.
Thus saith the R...None of this is new, of course. <br /><br />Thus saith the Rules of the House, verse 13:<br /><br />THE DELIVERY OF GOOD MEDICAL CARE IS TO DO AS MUCH NOTHING AS POSSIBLE.<br /><br />I was brought up on this as a house officer, and it did me well right up to the day I entered fee-for-service medicine. <br /><br />Anyway, may I share a question that has bothered me for the last several months as I contemplate the behavior of a "colleague"?<br /><br />Can we tell the difference between someone who churns, vs. someone who is very compulsive, vs. someone who is profoundly risk-adversive, vs. someone who is very insecure and hasn't learned to trust themselves enough not to repeat colonoscopies every six months in order not to miss anything?<br /><br />I used to think I could, but now I don't think I can. <br /><br />Doc, do you know people who do way too many colonoscopies but are motivated by factors other than the profit motive?A. Baileynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7323692122514281455.post-412855768419829972011-02-13T07:18:50.362-05:002011-02-13T07:18:50.362-05:00I generally agree with Brownlee that there is a lo...I generally agree with Brownlee that there is a lot of overtreatment in this country, but I don't always agree with her on specifics. On the issue of flu vaccines, for example. See this November 2009 article in the Atlantic: Does the vaccine matter? by Shannon Brownlee and Jeanne Lenzer.<br />http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/toc/2009/11/<br /><br />A problem closely related to overtreatment is overdiagnosis. Here's another book to put on your reading list, if you have not already done so:<br /><br />Overdiagnosed: Making People Sick in the Pursuit of Health, by H. Gilbert Welch, Lisa Schwartz, Steve WoloshinAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com