MD Whistleblower

The Graham-Cassidy bill – the latest Repeal and Replace iteration - still has a pulse, but its prognosis is grave.   While we physicians generally avoid predicting outcomes, my sense is that this bill will be buried in the coming days.  I presume that once its passage becomes mathematically impossible, that the bill will be pulled. Of course, failure to Repeal and Replace is a horrendous embarrassment and exposure of the Republicans who have been campaigning and crusading against Obamacare with religious zeal these past 7 years.   These patriots knew they could safely rail against the Affordable Care Act (ACA) – throwing red meat to their base – knowing that the bills would never pass while a Democratic president occupied the White House.   How ironic it is that now that the GOP have congressional majorities that they couldn’t get it done.  Not only could they not run the ball into the end zone, but they repeatedly fumbled at every opportunit...

Most of us do not know the basics of economics, although we should.  It impacts every one of us every day that we are alive.  Yet, for most of us, once we get beyond the law of supply and demand, our knowledge of the subject starts to vaporize.  I can't explain fiscal or monetary policy.  While I regard economics as a science, it seems that experts routinely interpret data differently, which confuses beginners like me.  What are novices to think when one expert hails our continued job gains while another laments our anemic recovery? The Puppeteers I have a general feel for market forces.  If consumer demand for an item rises, then I will expect to pay more.  If I want to make a purchase at an independent appliance store, then I will expect to pay more in return for superior customer service.  If the item is manufactured in China, it will likely cost me less as this factory is not burdened with worker protections, environmental regulatio...

If any reader has heard of C. difficile, affectionately known as C. diff, than I presume you have had closer contact with this germ than you would have liked.  It’s an infection of the colon that can be serious, or even fatal.  There isn’t a hospital in the country that isn’t battling against the infection.   We are not winning the war against this crafty and cunning adversary.  We Need Better Weapons Against C. diff While the infection is not new, the strength and seriousness of current strains of the germ have tilted the odds against doctors and our patients.  The infection usually is a ‘side-effect’ of antibiotic treatment, but it can also be contracted from infected surfaces and people that reside in hospitals and extended care facilities and nursing homes.  For example, nowadays a patient can be admitted to a hospital and pick up the germ from hospital personnel who are contaminated from contact with an actual C. diff patient. ...

Couldn't cover every tool or trade here, but a shout out to all.   All work is honorable. Warm wishes from the Whistelblower.