Hubris In Medicine
V - The Decline of the House Call
Jul18,2006 13:39 |
Permalink
Both socialized medicine and insurance-based medicine
have pros and cons, but within either system there is
one hubris in common: a patient is just someone, or
more precisely - some number, in line. That the
question to a doctor "you make house calls?" has
become cliche, is indicative of the numerical
property of patients in current health care. Doctors
should know their patients, have a friendship with
their patients, treat their patients as long as
possible: only with a long history of friendship and
background knowledge can one needing healthcare be
best treated. Is it coincident that the decline of
doctors who make house calls coincides with the rise
of the hmo?
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IX - RX America
Jun19,2006 13:08 |
Permalink
This is a subject that has been dealt with and
discussed over and over and over again. We bring it
up because the violence caused by a "prescription
based society" is unquantifiable.
How many medications have been approved then recalled? How much litigation must continue before the rush from "lab to label" gets slowed down for more sufficient and adequate testing (just look at Vioxx).
When you read the documentation on any given prescription, many doctors will tell you, "well, if you read everything in the documentation of of your over the counter pain killer, you'd never use that either." This is inexcusable. If you do take the time to read the documentation, you'll discover a lot of important information, e.g. the type and duration of tests run on your new RX. Many are done over a short period of time with a small test group (and watch the stats for your prescription vs. the test group given a placebo!).
We're not saying that prescriptions are intrinsically bad, wrong, or can't help with the quality and improvement of life. We are saying that they are overpriced, and pushed onto consumers with way too much vigor.
RX America's Anti-Hubris: Educate yourself as extensively as possible regarding your prescription, read the consumer information that comes with it, and TELL YOUR DOCTOR EVERYTHING from your dietary habits, other prescriptions, to allergies, alcohol and tobacco use, etc., so you have a lesser chance in getting something that doesn't do its job, or causes negative reactions in your body.
How many medications have been approved then recalled? How much litigation must continue before the rush from "lab to label" gets slowed down for more sufficient and adequate testing (just look at Vioxx).
When you read the documentation on any given prescription, many doctors will tell you, "well, if you read everything in the documentation of of your over the counter pain killer, you'd never use that either." This is inexcusable. If you do take the time to read the documentation, you'll discover a lot of important information, e.g. the type and duration of tests run on your new RX. Many are done over a short period of time with a small test group (and watch the stats for your prescription vs. the test group given a placebo!).
We're not saying that prescriptions are intrinsically bad, wrong, or can't help with the quality and improvement of life. We are saying that they are overpriced, and pushed onto consumers with way too much vigor.
RX America's Anti-Hubris: Educate yourself as extensively as possible regarding your prescription, read the consumer information that comes with it, and TELL YOUR DOCTOR EVERYTHING from your dietary habits, other prescriptions, to allergies, alcohol and tobacco use, etc., so you have a lesser chance in getting something that doesn't do its job, or causes negative reactions in your body.