Cell 2 Soul: The Humane Health Care Blog

Concierge Medicine

There is an old Yiddish saying:  "If the rich could pay the poor to die for them, the poor would make a very good living."  Well, it is coming to pass.

Concierge medicine is a relationship between a patient and a physician in which the patient pays an annual fee or retainer. In exchange for the retainer, doctors provide enhanced care. Other terms in use include boutique medicine, retainer-based medicine, and innovative medical practice design.

The NY Times had an eye-opening article on this topic on April 30, 2011:  Putting Your Doctor, or a Whole Team of Them, on Retainer.  It is worth reading to see where this trend is going.  The rich are, in this case, co-opting physicians' time that might better be spent with poor suffering humanity. 

Osler wrote:  "The practice of medicine is a calling not a business."  Clearly, some arrogant, greedy physicians do not adhere to his sentiment.

 

If Air Travel Was Run Like Health Care...

Jonathon Rauch, a staff writer at the National Journal has written a compelling article on Health Care delivery.  The seven minute video based on this is brilliant, funny, poignantly true and more direct..  It summarizes the frustrations patients and care givers deal with daily in the attempt to navigate the medical-industrial complex.  For a memorable video see: You Tube.

"Hello! Thank you for calling Air Health Care, the airline that works like the health care system. My name is Cynthia. I will provide you with outstanding service. How can I give you travel care today?"

Rauch's essay can be read at the National Journal.

Strangely, this video recalled a fine skit the late Hawaiian comedian, Rap Repleinger, produced in the 1980s.  This, too is available on You Tube.  See:  Room Service.

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Marginal Notes: A Socratic dialog on health care reform (VI)

Toward the evening of a long day, the philosopher Socrates finally makes his way to the home of Hippocrates, the father of medicine.  >>more

The final in a series of Socratic dialogs on health care reform.  Apropos of these discussions, interested readers may wish to peruse previous conversations with Aeschylus, Plato, Aesculapius, Apothos, and Litigius.

 

Brian T. Maurer has practiced pediatrics as a Physician Assistant for thirty years.  His "Marginal Notes" column appears periodically in the Cell2Soul Blog. The title "Marginal Notes" is taken from a quote by Henry David Thoreau: "I love a broad margin to my life."

Marginal Notes: A Socratic dialog on health care reform (IV)

The philosopher Socrates seeks advice from Apothos the sorcerer for a potion or pill to dampen the discomfort in the wound on his foot and learns a bit about standards of practice in the pharmaceutical industry.  >>more

 

The fourth in a series of Socratic dialogs on health care reform.  Apropos of these discussions, interested readers may wish to peruse previous conversations with Aeschylus, Plato and Aesculapius.

 

 

Brian T. Maurer has practiced pediatrics as a Physician Assistant for thirty years.  His "Marginal Notes" column appears periodically in the Cell2Soul Blog. The title "Marginal Notes" is taken from a quote by Henry David Thoreau: "I love a broad margin to my life."

 

 

Marginal Notes: A Socratic dialog on health care reform (III)

Socrates consults the general practitioner of medicine Aesculapius to ask both his opinion on the Athenian health care system and a favor as well. >>more

The third in a series of Socratic dialogs on health care reform. Apropos of these discussions, readers may wish to peruse previous conversations with Aeschylus and Plato here and here.

 

Brian T. Maurer has practiced pediatrics as a Physician Assistant for thirty years.  His "Marginal Notes" column appears periodically in the Cell2Soul Blog. The title "Marginal Notes" is taken from a quote by Henry David Thoreau: "I love a broad margin to my life."

Marginal Notes: A Socratic dialog on health care reform (II)

After speaking with the tragedian Aeschylus, Socrates encounters his former political science student Plato, who relates the latest debates in the Senate and explains the Athenian health care system from his perspective. >>more

The second in a series of Socratic dialogs on health care reform.  Interested readers may access the first conversation here.

Brian T. Maurer has practiced pediatrics as a Physician Assistant for thirty years.  His "Marginal Notes" column appears periodically in the Cell2Soul Blog. The title "Marginal Notes" is taken from a quote by Henry David Thoreau: "I love a broad margin to my life."

Marginal Notes: A Socratic dialog on health care reform

In attempting to make some sense of our ongoing national debate on health care reform, I recently had a chat with two old mentors of mine. It turns out that the subject is certainly not new; indeed, it has been discussed and debated for centuries.

These two mentors graciously consented to allow me to record one of their more recent dialogs on the subject, which can be accessed here.

 

Brian T. Maurer has practiced pediatrics as a Physician Assistant for thirty years.  His "Marginal Notes" column appears periodically in the Cell2Soul Blog. The title "Marginal Notes" is taken from a quote by Henry David Thoreau: "I love a broad margin to my life."

Marginal Notes: Counting Costs

Barbershop Quartet by Norman Rockwell

“I gotta tell you, this Obama character scares the bejesus outta me,” the man in the barber chair said.  “All this talk about death panels deciding when to pull the plug on us older folks. Next thing you know, we’ll have socialized medicine, and then no one will get proper care.”

Peyton pulled the barber drape off the man’s chest and brushed a few freshly clipped grey hairs off the man’s shoulders.  Slowly the old man climbed down from the chair and made his way across the linoleum tiled floor to the ancient cash register.  He handed Peyton a twenty dollar bill and waited for Peyton to count out his change.  >>more

 

Brian T. Maurer has practiced pediatrics as a Physician Assistant for thirty years.  His "Marginal Notes" column appears periodically in the Cell2Soul Blog. The title "Marginal Notes" is taken from a quote by Henry David Thoreau: "I love a broad margin to my life."