Cardiologist’s Insights on the Current State of Healthcare Accessibility
TL/DR –
The article is an opinion piece by a semi-retired cardiologist, Mark Goldfarb, expressing concerns about the current state of healthcare. He highlights a serious physician shortage causing long waiting periods for appointments, the apparent abandonment of physical examinations in favor of tests, and a trend of treating lab results rather than the individual patient. He also criticizes the electronic medical record (EMR) system as primarily focused on billing rather than patient care, and raises concerns about the accuracy of medicine reconciliation lists, the difficulty many patients face in navigating digital patient portals, the lack of direct communication between physicians, and the complexity of understanding medical billing.
A Retired Cardiologist’s Perspective on Current Healthcare Challenges
As a semi-retired cardiologist volunteering in a free community health clinic, I care for uninsured patients, including undocumented foreign workers, unhindered by bureaucracy and insurance-related restrictions. Recently, however, I’ve also become a patient, facing significant health challenges that have opened my eyes to the frustrations of today’s healthcare system.
I was once able to effortlessly consult colleagues for immediate medical advice. Now, I’ve faced the hurdles patients endure just to schedule appointments. There’s a glaring physician shortage, making it nearly impossible to see a specialist or primary care doctor in a reasonable timeframe. Alarming is the fact that physical exams have become a lost art, as physicians increasingly opt for a battery of tests instead.
Physicians are treating lab tests and images rather than the patient’s clinical situation. Medicine should be about individualized care, acknowledging unique aspects such as different pain thresholds, social and financial support systems. Nowadays, many physicians lazily click the “normal” template in the electronic medical record for the exam without actually performing one.
Physicians often prioritize computer interaction over patient interaction during consultations, creating a barrier to communication. Medicine reconciliation lists are often riddled with inaccuracies, and the electronic medical record system fails in areas like adjusting medication lists. Patient portals can be difficult to navigate, especially for elderly patients without computer skills.
Understanding the billing summary can be a nightmare due to its complexity. Finally, the lack of direct communication between physicians is damaging patient outcomes. These issues are confirmed by a Commonwealth study ranking the U.S. last in numerous healthcare metrics, despite higher spending.
It’s clear that healthcare delivery is moving in the wrong direction, with the digital revolution largely to blame. Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) focus more on billing documentation than patient care. The current focus is on increasing patient volume, executing more tests, and boosting revenue, instead of improving healthcare delivery. If we don’t address these issues, patient outcomes will significantly suffer.
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