"I bet I can tell if your doctor is going to recommend surgery before you even sign in at the front desk.
You don't have to be the Amazing Kreskin to figure it out: If the doc has an ownership stake in an outpatient surgical clinic, you can bet all the magazines in the waiting room that he'll be itching to get you under his knife.
Researchers from the University of Michigan Health System looked at patients in Florida who were given one of five common outpatient surgeries. Then, they checked to see if the docs who did the work had an ownership stake in the facility. Surprise, surprise: Owner-docs operated 50 percent more than non-owners, according to the study published in Health Affairs. What's more, they also found that docs who didn't have an ownership share at first saw a big boost in caseload after they bought in."
It is a triple play, because the doc gets a fee for the surgery, a share of the clinic's profits, and finally the business appreciation because the investment
in the clinic is worth more because of more business.
These surgical clinics are popping up everywhere, an increase by 50% over the past decade and 83% are owned by doctors. "It's the money, stupid!"
What ever happened to ethics or the Hypocratic Oath of 'do no harm'? These things have all but disappeared along with house calls. Government intervention in health care with the hand maiden, Private health care insurance have had unintended consequences.
Are all doctors greedy and self serving? Is the medical community corrupt?
No, not at all. They suffer from over work , over government regulation and the constant threat of lawsuits from unfettered attorneys. Can we ever get back to the ethical practise of medicine? Or for that matter an ethical legal system?
With Love and Kindness,
THE HATMAN
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