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Is the Medical Profession a 'Special Interest'?

Don’t expect this humble blogger to explain Donald Trump’s broad and sustained GOP support, if our most seasoned political pundits are flummoxed.   Why is this man with no prior political or governmental experience trumping all of his competitors? Is he ahead because he is right on, or is he leading because the competitors are way off? Like most folks, the conventional politicians are by and large an uninspiring lot who offer scripted screeds that are canned and calculated.  Indeed, most political junkees like me can almost orate their stump speeches, since they vary little from speech to speech. Trump Appears to have no 'Special Interests' The conventional candidates often rail against ‘special interests’, a pejorative term that conjures up an evil group that is possessed by greed that tramples over the public good to serve themselves.  I challenge you to identify a candidate who has not spewed vitriol against these nefarious ‘special interests’.   When they

Labor Day Honors All

It’s Labor Day tomorrow when we pause to honor those whose labor has laid down the scaffolding of this nation.  Are we all in agreement who the honoree is on this federal holiday?  Labor Day - A Sad Day for Cows Originally, the holiday was to honor the labor unions, organizations that emerged over a century ago as a response to unfair and unsafe labor practices.  I certainly honor the working man for their contributions. There are carpenters and electricians who work for themselves, not for  labor unions.  Is the holiday for them also? What about the rest of us?  I’m a physician.  I work hard and hope that I am making some contribution toward the public good.  Is this holiday for me also? Business owners and management work long hours, often beyond traditional shifts, to maintain the success of their companies.  Is this holiday for them? Artists labor long hours coloring canvases or sculpting provocative creations.  Should they work tomorrow or are they ent

Patient Survives Death Sentence - Medical Negligence?

Doctors do not know everything.    We make mistakes and mistakes in judgment.  Sometimes we make the mistake of speaking when we should keep silent.  At times, patients ask us questions that we can’t or shouldn’t answer; and yet we do.  It shouldn’t be our objective to force certainty into an issue which is amorphous and murky.  Here’s a response that I recommend in situations where certainty is elusive. “I don’t know.” I saw a patient for the first time when he was sent to me for a colonoscopy.  Prior to the procedure, we interviewed him to be acquainted with his medical history.  We are always particularly interested in the cardiac and pulmonary history, as these conditions impact on the risk of the procedures and the anesthesia.   This patient had a lung resection.   He related the details which left my staff and me aghast. “The doctors told me that I had cancer and would be dead in 3 months.” Of course, it is not possible for a spectator to imagine the horror o

Is Your Doctor a Spin Doctor?

We are in the Age of Spin as the presidential campaigns percolate along.  So much fun to watch!  It’s a performance in doublespeak, deflection and distraction that is so obvious, that even a person who knows no English can spot it.  I used to get exasperated when I would watch a politician dodge the question posed, but now I view it as pure entertainment.   I’m glad I made this transition, particularly since I live in Ohio where we will see more spinning than anywhere else. Spinning is an old profession. To those who are unschooled in spinning recognition, keep your ear out for these phrases which are classic spin initiators. ‘…what I will say…’ ‘The question we should be asking…’ ‘I have always said…’ Let me illustrate. Reporter:  Do you support the president’s Iran deal? Spinner:     The question we should be asking is why are we caving to the Ayatollahs? Reporter:  Do you support a path to citizenship for the 12 million undocumented immigrants?

Who Deserves Quality Medical Care?

We all should know the difference between a slogan and real substance.   One of these has size and shape while the other is just a shadow.   Why then, is the slogan so powerful? A slogan is one of the weapons wielded by the Guardians of Political Correctness.  They will point toward the slogan du jour, and then, with cameras rolling, demand to know if you support it.  Even a moment’s hesitancy will be taken as weakness.   Expect to see your waffling go viral for all to see, edited down and sans context.  Politicians Advised to Avoid Waffles. During a presidential election, this practice is omnipresent.  Mr. Bush, do you support fair trade ? Mrs. Clinton, is your immigration policy to give amnesty to all illegal aliens? Mr. Cruz, do you believe in the rule of law ? These questions cannot be adequately answered with a reflexive yes or no.   The slogans contained within these 'gotcha' questions point to complex and nuanced issues that need layered responses. 

When Does Life End? Ask a Humble Doctor.

About a week before I write this, I met a man for the first time.  Though it is unlikely that I will see him again, it is unlikely that I will forget him. This was a side trip for us, as we meandered for a weekend through the beauty and nostalgia of Ohio.  Once you find yourself about an hour south of Cleveland, you are in a Land of Barns, where cornfields and cattle punctuate the countryside.  There are miles and miles of open roads unblemished by Starbucks, CVS or Big Box Retail.  Is the air truly fresher or does it just seem that way? On the Open Road in Ohio We drove out to meet this man to examine his wares.  The GPS faithfully led us to the desired location, but we assumed that we were misled as there was no business sign to alert customers like us.  Not quite the marketing strategy we know from city life where advertisements will soon appear on toilet paper.   He has an unusual profession, which I will not identify, as this might be enough to identify him which wo

Planned Parenthood Videos Threaten Truth

While we have all heard the adage, any publicity is good publicity, I don’t agree.   See if you agree that the subjects of the following hypothetical headlines would have preferred anonymity. Local Surgeon Loses Scalpel – in Patient’s Abdomen Teacher Pursues New Career as Porn Star Restaurant Owner Claims Rats are Really Pets Planned Parenthood is in the news.  Several videos, surreptitiously taken, have been released showing discussions between Planned Parenthood personnel and folks who were pretending to be interested in procuring fetal parts.  It is illegal under federal law for Planned Parenthood to make a profit selling fetal parts.  More fact gathering will be necessary to determine if a legal line has been violated.  Legalities aside, the videos have generated revulsion across the ideological spectrum by how unseemly and casual the Planned Parenthood folks discussed a subject with huge ethical and legal ramifications.  The public heard how the abortion technique cou