Comments on: Not with a Bang But a Whimper http://www.thefreemanonline.org/headline/not-with-a-bang-but-a-whimper/ Ideas on Liberty Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:14:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Andrew Lynch http://www.thefreemanonline.org/headline/not-with-a-bang-but-a-whimper/comment-page-1/#comment-18716 Andrew Lynch Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:06:48 +0000 http://www.thefreemanonline.org/?p=13078#comment-18716 I realize this is an emotional -- and not a rational -- observation, but I was just talking the other day about the fact that the doctor who delivered me at birth was also my pediatrician for the first several years of my life, not to mention my mother's OB/GYN before i was born. Talk about a man who wanted to be involved in multiple stages of birth and child medicine. When he died, I was in high school. My mother and I went to his funeral because we had always liked him and he had always been good to us. I'm now 44, and if the physician I've had for the last 10 years died, I a) probably wouldn't even know until I booked my annual appointment, and b) I couldn't rouse myself to attend his funeral. He is, while competent, a complete stranger to me. Like Anne Munro, I have seen the rise of the diminishing doctor in my time, and it can't possibly improve with the involvement of fed bureaucracy. I realize this is an emotional — and not a rational — observation, but I was just talking the other day about the fact that the doctor who delivered me at birth was also my pediatrician for the first several years of my life, not to mention my mother’s OB/GYN before i was born. Talk about a man who wanted to be involved in multiple stages of birth and child medicine. When he died, I was in high school. My mother and I went to his funeral because we had always liked him and he had always been good to us.

I’m now 44, and if the physician I’ve had for the last 10 years died, I a) probably wouldn’t even know until I booked my annual appointment, and b) I couldn’t rouse myself to attend his funeral. He is, while competent, a complete stranger to me. Like Anne Munro, I have seen the rise of the diminishing doctor in my time, and it can’t possibly improve with the involvement of fed bureaucracy.

]]> By: Anne Munro http://www.thefreemanonline.org/headline/not-with-a-bang-but-a-whimper/comment-page-1/#comment-18707 Anne Munro Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:55:45 +0000 http://www.thefreemanonline.org/?p=13078#comment-18707 I have been having physical exams once a year almost all my adult life. Through the 70's and 80's Doctors had a list of questions to cover different systems of the body. So the doctor would ask the questions and the patient would answer. A series of tests or further examination would ensue. During the 90's and through today, the doctor asks you how you are and if there are any problems that you want to talk about. They do a breast exam and a pelvic if necessary. They figure out according to guidelines if a person needs a colonoscopy or bone density. In the early years the Dr. spent an hour with me.Now it's 20 min to 40 min. I have witnessed the socialization of healthcare. There appears there is more to come. It will be more expensive and less effective. I am angry that healthcare needs government intervention. The state has always taken care of those who did not have healthcare. Why develop a larger beauracracy? It will be further away from the patient and the cost will be higher. Anne Munro I have been having physical exams once a year almost all my adult life. Through the 70′s and 80′s Doctors had a list of questions to cover different systems of the body. So the doctor would ask the questions and the patient would answer. A series of tests or further examination would ensue. During the 90′s and through today, the doctor asks you how you are and if there are any problems that you want to talk about. They do a breast exam and a pelvic if necessary. They figure out according to guidelines if a person needs a colonoscopy or bone density. In the early years the Dr. spent an hour with me.Now it’s 20 min to 40 min. I have witnessed the socialization of healthcare. There appears there is more to come. It will be more expensive and less effective.
I am angry that healthcare needs government intervention. The state has always taken care of those who did not have healthcare. Why develop a larger beauracracy? It will be further away from the patient and the cost will be higher. Anne Munro

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