In a Huffington Post piece first published a few months ago, but now being referred to in other places on-line, the concept of clinicians' views on health reform clashing with patients' views was discussed. The original article can be found by clicking here. Quoting directly from that content: Kelley McCahill took her 70-year-old mother to see a plastic surgeon about having a cancerous growth removed from her nose last Thursday. "If not the first sentence, the second sentence out of his mouth was, 'We can still get this done because Obamacare's not in place,'" McCahill told the Huffington Post. She said that the doctor, in a casual and jovial manner, repeatedly bashed President Obama's health care reform agenda during the 15-minute consultation.
This raises some interesting questions regarding the individual clinician's right and responsibility to address patient questions and concerns about the future of health care coverage. Though many of the concepts being bandied about on the nightly newscast may be complex or nebulous for some, the general public is increasingly coming to understand that the system, love it or hate it, could begin to change drastically, and soon.
One could conclude that there's no place for politics in the exam room (or at a hospital bedside or in a patient's home) and so that the health reform topic is best left alone. Alternatively, one might decide that the conversation should focus merely on facts. Or, some may feel that it's entirely appropriate to bring personal opinions (and concerns, fears, etc.) into a dialogue with patients.
What do you think? Feel free to comment on this post.
As a patient I don't like the idea of a physician expressing his/her opinion about health care reform during a visit. Time in the appointment should be focussed on patient care. The power differential inherent in this relationship makes it an inappropriate context for a discussion that could lead to conflicting opinions. I think health care profs should feel free to express their opinions outside office visits, in conversations with interested individuals and in print. If a patient initiates the discussion during an appointment the response from the health care prof would best be left to factual conent and not personal opinion.
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