Quiz on CAT Scan Ownership, EMR, Defensive Medicine and Obamacare

From time to time, the Whistleblower will offer readers a quiz.  Physicians, similar to other professionals, have taken scores of standardized tests over the years.  Most physicians are skilled at these exercises which, in my view, are a poor measurements of skills necessary for becoming a capable and caring physician.  Yet, as we have learned from pay-for-performance and other ‘quality’ initiatives, we measure what can be easily measured even if it doesn’t really count. 

The Kirsch progeny have been exposed to well over 100 quizzes during their formative years, when they competed for valuable prizes at the dinner table.  As we know at carnivals and county fairs, everyone wants to win that Teddy bear, no matter how much it costs to win it.   It’s the victory, not the prize.

1902 Washington Post Cartoon with Teddy Bear and TR

True or False?

A physician who owns a CAT scan machine is more likely to order scans than would another physician who does not own a scanner on an equivalent population of patients.

True or False?

Electronic Medical Records helps to cultivate the doctor-patient relationship by facilitating eye contact and reading body language.

True or False?

Defensive medicine improves medical quality as these additional diagnostic tests give an extra margin of safety that a serious condition will not be missed.

True or False?

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, should be zealously supported as it will provide every American with high quality and affordable health care.

Ok, so these questions were ‘gimmee’s.   Future quizzes will be tougher and are likely to include multiple choice questions.   Prize donations welcome.