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Malpractice TV Doctors

May 14 2009

Malpractice TV Doctors

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Op_ed

By Rosemarie Jackowski

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Malpractice TV Doctors

First of all - I like doctors. Some of my best friends are doctors, and besides that my life was saved three times by doctors. The problem is that a few doctors do not have the same high degree of professional ethics.

On May 13, 2009 " The Doctors" TV program was one of the most deceptive shows ever aired since the invention of television. The panel of TV doctors sometimes gives valuable information. More often, the medical information is dumbed-down and/or sensationalized - a lot of plastic surgery and sex talk. OK - it is a commercial TV show intended to entertain first and inform second. I get that. It is more difficult to understand how and why the doctors could sell their honor and professional integrity by participating in a program designed to give false information to the public.

Specifically, the false information was that insurance companies are necessary for an effective universal health care system. Can you name one nation on the planet that has a universal health care system that is based on for-profit insurance companies?

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The problem with the May 13th show was that it dealt with a serious topic in a deceptive way. The summary of the show taken from "The Doctors" web site:
"The State of Healthcare in America. Have you ever been without health insurance, found yourself under-insured or worried about the rising cost of healthcare? The Doctors and a panel of experts give you real solutions to your healthcare and insurance problems."

How can there be an intelligent discussion about the crisis in health care without including a discussion of the merits of Single Payer - especially on the day after five were arrested at the Congressional Health Care Hearing. Those five arrests followed eight arrests of Single Payer advocates a few days prior. Certainly Single Payer is a timely topic that must be included in any serious discussion of the health care crisis.

The program never mentioned the Maryland school boy who died from a brain infection because he did not have access to dental care for an abscessed tooth. Also never mentioned was Edith Rodriguez who died on the Emergency Room floor after being ignored by hospital personnel for an extended period of time. There was no mention of the number of deaths caused by medical errors.

Also no mention of the controversial and sometimes dangerous system of 'hospitalists'. In some areas, hospitals employ hospitalists who are MDs. It is their job to keep the patient's own family doctor out of the loop when a person is admitted to the hospital. Seems to have something to do with turf and money. Instead the TV program promoted the idea that health care in the United States is the best in the world. Where does the US fall in the statistics on life expectancy and infant mortality? One of the TV doctors stated that we have the most expensive health care in the world because we have the best care. Give me a break.

Never mentioned was the fact that 18,000 die in the US every year from lack of access to health care. How can 18,000 deaths be ignored - trivialized? That is like having a 9/11 every 60 days - but worse because we are doing it to ourselves. Who are the real terrorists - those responsible for 3000 deaths or those responsible for 18,000 deaths every year?

"The Doctors" can correct the damage done by the May 13th show by giving equal time to a discussion of Single Payer. A follow- up show in the near future should be aired. Guests could include those who were recently arrested because of their support of Single Payer. Also Ralph Nader. Also Michael Moore. Also Russell Mokhiber. There is a long list of advocates who are available.

Watching "The Doctors" TV show can be injurious to health - the nation's health. Seems that the producers forgot the rule - "First do no harm".

Rosemarie Jackowski is an advocacy journalist living in the USA. She was arrested, tried, and convicted for her participation in a peaceful protest of the war. The conviction was appealed and overturned in the State Supreme Court. The government then announced plans to retry the case. Finally, after years of legal proceedings, all charges were dropped. She can be reached at: dissent[at]sover.net Articles by Rosemarie Jackowski at MWC News http://mwcnews.net/rosemarie-jackowski

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Comments (4)

1. 14-05-2009 11:18

Thank you Rosemarie for pointing out to your readers the obvious duplicity of the position by the participants of the TV Show \"The Doctors\" on the subject of healthcare. Let no mistake be made the subject of Malpractice is actually a clever canard that is trotted out when the subject of medical costs is raised.

What is the most salient point is how far out of step these \"Doctors\" are with respect to the opinion about Healthcare spending within their own profession.

In March 2008 the University of Illinois Medical Center conducted a poll of doctors on this very subject. In a representative sample of 2000 doctors they found that 59% favored a Single Payer Health Care System while 30% opposed it. That represents a ratio of nearly 2 to 1. The last time this same poll was conducted in 2002 49% of doctors favored Single Payer. So it is readily apparant that more and more doctors are coming around to the idea that Single Payer is the solution to the financing of Health care in this country.

Most Primary Care Physcians in this country belong to the American College of Physcians which is the professional organization that represents them. In 2007 ACP released a position paper outlining 2 methods to reform the Healthcare System in this country. One of the two methods outlined is a Single Payer Healthcare System.

Let no mistake be made the tide turned in favor of Single Payer 5 years ago. The American People want it and the doctors want it. It is now time for the people of this country to rise up and demand their elected representives STOP PANDERING to the GREED OF THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY and Implement a Single Payer Healthcare System NOW !

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marston.bob@gmail.comNOSPAM! ">Bob Marston

2. 14-05-2009 12:19

Thanks, Bob

Bob Marston...Thanks for the comment. One fact that I left out of the article is that in some locations the program is sponsored by AARP - one of the most aggressive insurance companies in the world. Not too hard to connect those dots!

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dissent@sover.netNOSPAM! ">rosemarie jackowski

3. 15-05-2009 19:27

Just maybe.

Rosemarie,
I know you have been shouting for a long time about the, 'best health care system in the world', obviously we lesser souls out in the wider world look on green with envy, yeah sure, actually every one I speak to regard the US health system as horrible, I know people who have been there, they cannot believe the rhetoric bandied around, to American citizens every thing the US has, is the 'worlds finest', so sad.
Just maybe, the US will turn to a universal single payer health cover system.
I somehow doubt it, any way the very bet of luck.

Mike.

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mike keenor

4. 16-05-2009 12:46

Thanks, Mike

Mike...I agree. There is no reason for optimism. The politicians have been bought by the insurance companies and the voters have been misinformed by those in power.
Sadly, the voters could have brought about Single Payer by just voting for candidates who support it. Instead, we now have an administration that is calling for 'reform' which is just another way of keeping the insurance companies in power.

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dissent@sover.netNOSPAM! ">rosemarie jackowski

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