What Happen to Quality Face Time part 2
I have just read the most appalling article about our healthcare system. Located in the Washington Post today, “Equal Treatment for the Uninsured? Don't Count on It� is a doctor’s account of how most of the uninsured patients doctors see everyday are receiving unequal and below standard care. With 47 million Americans without insurance, that’s a lot of people who are not receiving adequate care.
How can any morally sound doctor who believes in the oath they took upon graduation, deny full service to any patient they see?
The article explains that the uninsured patient will receive care- the hospital can not turn any person away- but they will get less attention and detailed prognosis than insured or paying patients. The uninsured will receive less medicine, tests or time with the doctor.
Look at these numbers from a 2006 study of 25 primary care practices: in nearly 1 in 4 encounters a physician adjusted clinical management based on ability to pay and 90% admitted to these adjustments. For patients with no insurance, alterations occurred 43% of the time; and for the privately insured, just 19%. I cannot believe this inequality to quality healthcare is happening…
Article can be found at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2008/10/10/AR2008101002679.html?referrer=emailarticlepg