Who's Reading Your X-Ray?

The New York Times ^ | November 16, 2003 | ANDREW POLLACK

[mewzilla]

It always pays to ask. I know where all my lab testing is done, too. And I didn't like where they wanted to send it, I've paid to have it sent to someone I trust. Always ask.

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

The fantastically wealthy physician (who, if you are referring to American doctors, happen to have consistently been the BEST in the world) is an historical anomaly seen only from 1955 to 2035.

If I could have found a neurosurgeon to save my son's life, all of my worldly possessions would have been a small price to surrender to him/her.

I wonder why the best doctors throughout the world want to practice in the United States. Perhaps it has something to do with being paid well for their services.

[Rebelbase]

I put my X-ray out there for all to see.

[RJCogburn]

Fascinating article. Thanks for posting.

[pabianice]

'The fantastically wealthy physician (who, if you are referring to American doctors, happen to have consistently been the BEST in the world) is an historical anomaly seen only from 1955 to 2035.'

If I could have found a neurosurgeon to save my son's life, all of my worldly possessions would have been a small price to surrender to him/her.

I wonder why the best doctors throughout the world want to practice in the United States. Perhaps it has something to do with being paid well for their services.

I am sorry for your loss. My point was simple: capitalism doesn't give a sh*t about how much money you think you are worth. A surgeoen is worth plenty in 2003 because no machine can do his work -- yet. Give it another 30-40 years and robot docs will be besting humans. Another fall-out from IT. Knowledge-based professions are ripe for replacement by Asians who can use IT to do them -- something available only within the past several years.

Like it or not, we are now in a global economy where the cheapest competent labor is used. You can't send a sweater by email but you can a medical diagnosis. And so it goes.

[oceanview]

only the wealthy and the elites will have access to the kind of american health care we have all become accustomed to. do you think Katie Couric is going to have her colon examined by some lowlife who graduated from a med school in the third world? no, this "low cost" health care is the only thing that us "little people" will have access to.

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

Yes, and one of the worst aspects of so-called "Hillary Care" was to make it a crime to pay a doctor directly for his/her services. What doctor would spend years learning his/her skills to be treated like chattel under control of the state?

Can you imagine having to break the law to hire the best doctor for your illness? There would be a thriving black market for medical care by the best physicians. Family members would gladly risk imprisonment to save a loved one's life.

[toddst]

If I could have found a neurosurgeon to save my son's life, all of my worldly possessions would have been a small price to surrender to him/her.

Having a neurosurgeon father-in-law I understand something about the medical situations they confront daily. I would not want the stress and pressure of dealing with cases that too often have the odds against them. I'm sorry to hear your son was not saved.

From what I've seen highly trained physician specialists earn what they're paid - and their patients are pleased to have such expertise available to them.

[gaijin]

marking.

[AZFolks]

I have been a teaching attending for over 30 years. I do not practice any longer so I do not have a dog in the hunt. I have trained (still train) physicians from all parts of the globe and seen medicine in many parts of the globe. It would terrify me if I knew one of my families X rays were being read in India. This is not to say that some foreign physicians are not superior, it is only to say that, on average, we really do have the best. I am shocked that MGH is doing this!

[lelio]

It would terrify me if I knew one of my families X rays were being read in India.

Also think about the security difficulties in controlling a lab thousands of miles away whose employees make 1/3rd of what they do here.

A lobbying firm for outsourcing dismissed these concerns as xenophobic, somehow equating concerns about medical privacy with a distrust of hindus. Its nothing like that -- its about remote control of assest (very difficult) and with them earning much less and questionable IP laws, a modest amount of money here can be a king's ransom there.

[GatekeeperBookman]

Your claim of 'efficiency' is a presumption. I have not always seen that in the 'really' world. Actually, I question the entire scheme of overseas health care.

It sounds rediculous. Make clothing or other 'objects' where this can be done with some efficiency & cost the least-but please tell these idiots I have no desire to 'transmit' my information around the world, to be mis-interpreted by people with whom I may not interact, people with whom I may not even communicate!

"The War has many facets; http://aztlan.net/ Look at your enemy."


"The War has many facets; http://aztlan.net/ Look at your enemy."

[GatekeeperBookman]

A bogus plan. Our doctors are in such a condition that ordinary office care is threatened-this is an absurd & rediculous program.

For one thing, the Trial Lawyers would have a H--- of a time getting testimony on their stupid lawsuits. What of the issues of REAL health care, errors in communication & disagreements about interpretation of conditions represented by the X-ray?

I suppose next, that surrogate mothers will be hired on the streets of Calcutta, constituents first Fed-Exed to Calcutta & the product of the remote conception thence Fed-Exed to the US.

"The War has many facets; http://aztlan.net/ Look at your enemy."

[1rudeboy]

Of course it is a presumption. Based on Adam Smith's presumption of the Invisible Hand.

[GatekeeperBookman]

well get Mr. Smith to jump up off his you know what & straighten out this mess we call a market. My end of competion brings scummy retailers who don't give a @X!&$& about their customers, cold blooded producers who move off shore & charge the same price for cheaper goods, a gov gone hog-wild over controlling even how much water my commode uses & doctors who are openly disgusted & going down from insurance costs & gov audits over some old geezer paying CASH instead of filling on his Medicare! ( a doctor may face jail over that ) Some of Mr. Smith's dictums turn out a little sour in this real world. I don't argue with the model-just the results we face in an immoral world.

"The War has many facets; http://aztlan.net/ Look at your enemy."

[GatekeeperBookman]

You got it-this won't fly for very long. It will go up like the Hindenberg.

"The War has many facets; http://aztlan.net/ Look at your enemy."

[1rudeboy]

Oh boy, do you and I agree. But I don't blame the free(r) operation of markets for the scourges you identify.

[GatekeeperBookman]

theories are pretty things -the real world is messy. It is filled with PEOPLE.

"The War has many facets; http://aztlan.net/ Look at your enemy."

[maui_hawaii]

oh, let me know when the XRAY costs to consumers start declining.

EXACTLY.

BUMP