Archive: Jan 2016

1. Doctors Unionize to Resist Medical Machine

   January 9, 2016 5:39 pm Comments Off on Doctors Unionize to Resist Medical Machine

   Early in the morning on Aug. 12, 2015, a 68-year-old man named Barry turned up at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center in Springfield, Ore., confused and feverish.

   The case was not a candidate for even a minor subplot on “House.” The admitting doctor stopped one of the patient’s medications and inserted an IV to deliver fluids, and by late the next morning, he had largely recovered.

2. The 15-Minute Doctor Visit: One-Size-Fits-All Schedule Undermines Care And Caring

   January 4, 2016 8:45 am Comments Off on The 15-Minute Doctor Visit: One-Size-Fits-All Schedule Undermines Care And Caring

   I have 15 minutes. I’m generally not happy that, as an internist who works for a large medical group (and most now do), I’m instructed to conform to this assigned length for visits with my patients. Being told to arrive at 2:45 p.m. makes it clear to patients that every doctor-hour is broken into quarters. But the pressure to keep to the time limit is felt primarily by the doctor, who must stick to the schedule or expect the 3 p.m. patient to come in unhappy about the wait.