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Hmmm... I find it a bit suspect when doctors are hawking vitamins and other such things in their offices. Seems to me that they are in pursuit of th Almighty Dollar and forgot why they went into medicine.

Here's what I think. . .it's about security more than the almighty dollar although there are exceptions and you can find doctors with a great streak of avarice in them (I know a bariatric surgeon like this).

It comes down to what will offer more security for them and their family. "Hawking vitamins" or doing surgeries. If they are making $1500 per surgery and then $1100 of that is going out into malpractice, it becomes a painful choice.

I don't think anyone makes this choice lightly.

They don't spend 3 years in residency, day in, day out, reading journals, following mentors, going to seminars, engaging in roundtables and one day wake up and say,

"Crap. . .I think there's more money to be had in Amway."

They were somehow forced psychologically into the situation.

And, National Healthcare is going to make things even more difficult. If doctors aren't paid well and are on salary vs. "fee based" the number of procedures that they will do will plummet.

Frankly, IMHO, I have found most MD's would prefer a steady salary nowadays over the risk of being in business in the marketplace.

There are exceptions.

And, I do know of an OB Doc who closed up shop due to high malpractice. On the other hand, with the rise of physician owned Surgicenters many of them are seeing their incomes skyrocket as well. Depends which track you get on.

I think the article was fair and didn't just "boo-hoo" for physicians; you are right. Medicine does have to "redefine" itself - it used to be very surgery intense profession. . .well, that's changing for many reasons and not just because money is running out. People are more informed and understand the informed consent process of risks. vs. rewards nowadays of surgery.

In the 80's, well. . .you just followed doctors orders. If he said that uterus or tonsils had to come out. . .well. . .you just did it. . .necessary or not.

Personally, I think there has got to be more fluidity in the labor market in healthcare.

If there is a dearth of interventional radiologists or cardiologists and a glut of C-T surgeons, then the C-T surgeon should be able to "fast-track" into cardiology or IR. If there is a dearth of nurses and a glut of physician assistants, the same thing. Whatever. . .I am sure a pediatrician can't transfer into being a geriatrician but there are some potential areas of overlap.

This to me is a huge problem in allopathic healthcare. . .overspecialization. There should be a return of the "generalist" concept to allow for some fluidity.

Health care is very rigid and not very "creative" and "reactive" in business. You need some leaders at the top to make things like this happen.