I'm not surprised a doctor would get upset if challenged. I've worked with a number of doctors and hospital systems, and most are really cool people who are fun to be around. Every now and then you run into one who thinks because tehy are an MD all of a sudden they are an expert in every field and if questioned get mad. One doctor in a group I worked with said "Our biggest problem is every doctor thinks they know how best to run the hospital."
I don’t think it’s that simple. Many universal healthcare systems actually are not doing that great financially, to the point that many people within that system are looking for healthcare outside. One size cannot fit all.
The challenge is the entire system needs to be changed to really make an impact, from who pays for medical education to patient expectations how treatment is delivered, drug purchasing, tort law etc. Given everyone has some sort of financial stake in the system it's a hard sell.
I don’t know if I want a Health Genius giving me a check up.
Sorry, your spouse is unrepairable and died. Just restore to the new one from the backup.
I work for the largest US large health care/insurance company. We sell insurance, Rx and other services plus we own primary care clinics and ambulatory surgery centers. We’re becoming more and more of a tech company. There’s no way Apple could ever come close to really competing in this space because they just don’t have the data. If Apple did anything it would be niche and for the wealthy/very healthy/tech savvy.
Apple, if they were serious, could no doubt buy a system for the data. My question is why would they take on the liability, especially if they use their tech and made a mistake and now they owned the entire episode?
Like moths to a flame, lawyers already get fat off Apple with ludicrous class action suits and frivolous patent trolling etc. because Apple has a mountain of money. If Apple enter the healthcare industry then I predict the flood gates will open for the lawyers...
Someone who basically took a community college course and is not in charge of treating you
I don't know where you are but in the US a PA requires a post graduate degree that takes 2 -3 years. NOt exactly a community college degree.
I have a lot of friends that are ER docs, and they are freaking out that these 'management groups' are getting away with this. The future of medical education hangs in the balance if these rapacious groups win and can charge top dollar for what will end up being substandard care.
A lot depends on how the care is delivered. I've worked with MDs an NP's and they key, in their eyes, is to know when something is beyond your license and needs to be seen by someone with the right skill sets; which includes a GP sending you to a specialist to find out what is wrong and not just treat the symptoms.
A number of MDs said the NPs the work with are better at what they do than the MDs because they see the same type of patients regularly as opposed to an MD who may see one or two of those a month.
It all comes down to how best to deliver a standard of care. An NP could very well do what a GP does at lower costs, and as for an ER that's a tougher call; but a nurse anesthetist could be part of the team. Could an nurse or NP triage and treat cases in the ER? We do that today already. It's about being treated by someone with the skills needed to deal with what you have.
Part of the problem is people expect to see an MD and if they don't feel like they have not been properly cared for and thus cost is added into the system to placate patients.
Of course, a lot comes down to money. Your scenario aside, a lot of MDs I know say they would not want their kids to be MDs because given the shift in how care is delivered and they'll never get out of debt.