The Happy Hospitalist - Latest Comments in Screwing Granny Gets Lively

Re: Screwing Granny Gets Lively

Anonymous — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 22:03:00 -0000

anon 7:55
yes that is why i went to medical school-to do what is best for the patient in front of me, not to be bound by generic guidelines that may or may not be based on patients that are similar to the patient in front of me.
the guidelines frequently can't even agree with each other. what are we supposed to think when we can't even reach a consensus with 20 people?
just because data exists does not make it good data or even if good data, it does not make it universally applicable.
doctors are supposed to use their brains!

Re: Screwing Granny Gets Lively

Anonymous — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:56:00 -0000

Sorry that should have been 'Maggie' not 'Maggil' above. Freudian slip.

Re: Screwing Granny Gets Lively

Anonymous — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:55:00 -0000

I agree with anon 7:11. I once argued with Maggil, in vain, when she posted 'data' that indicated one can sit and "watch" Gleason's grade 8 prostate cancer. When I (a pathologist) protested that she could be misleading some poor man with hi grade prostate cancer, I got back a bunch of high and mighty BS about how doctors rely on their own clinical experience more than 'data', and are resistant to change. At that point I told her there was no point my reading her blog any more, and I haven't.

You're wasting your breath and elevated blood pressure.

Re: Screwing Granny Gets Lively

Anonymous — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:11:00 -0000

whatever you say, she is right and you are wrong.

Re: Screwing Granny Gets Lively

James — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 19:24:00 -0000

Oh, man. This means I'm going to have to actually read that obscenely long post in order to have an opinion. Luckily it's a pretty slow call day. If I don't come back to leave another comment, assume my pager went off sucking me into the VA Hospital vortex.

Re: Screwing Granny Gets Lively

Rob — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 09:21:00 -0000

Dumb.

Yes, our obligation is to our patients, but we also have obligation to our families, staff, and society as a whole not to necessarily support something that does harm. Dropping Medicare may just be the engine for reform that is needed. We have not done that yet, but we are finally discussing the possibility.

This claim (that dropping Medicare breaks our oath) is just like saying that if you don't support the war, you are unpatriotic.

Balderdash.

Re: Screwing Granny Gets Lively

ck — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 02:02:00 -0000

"the person who left that comment speaks as someone who doesn't have to deal with the headache of Medicare"

I think she is an English professor turned financial journalist turned health care journalist, so, yeah.

It is surprising how many "health policy wonks" have had minimal experience in the management and delivery of health care. It's important to look at many viewpoints, but I guess I'm kinda at a loss as to why the more important viewpoints (physicians, patients, economists) are left to the wayside.

Re: Screwing Granny Gets Lively

JunkMD — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 21:26:00 -0000

First of all, Hippocrates doesn't get the phone calls from the bank if the bills don't get paid. Secondly, although I am certain she means well, the person who left that comment speaks as someone who doesn't have to deal with the headache of Medicare. However, in her statement, I disagree. Granny making $20,000 per year by herself may not have much clout but if enough grannies in this country get upset, change will happen in a snap. There's a reason that the AARP is one of the largest lobbys in Washington. In actuality, granny has a heck of a lot more clout than a doctor.

Re: Screwing Granny Gets Lively

ck — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 17:08:00 -0000

Interesting. I hadn't noticed anything about conscription or servitude in the Hippocratic Oath.