What are the most significant challenges facing our medical system?
I see a lot of effort going towards getting the uninsured insured. That is not our greatest challenge. We will continue to have more uninsured until we control costs. Pharmaceutical companies, high tech medicine and malpractice threats are draining the medical dollars. As those dollars drain, primary care doctors are being nickel and dimed and are forced to see higher volumes of patients.
Example:
One example of hidden costs is the pervasive attitude amongst physicians that they need to cover their backs against lawsuits. The threat of lawsuits is so high that all medical graduates today will be sued sometime in their career. So doctors order more tests, x-rays, CAT scans, and MRI’s on a daily basis just to protect themselves against lawsuits. This increases our health care costs more than any other factor – yet it is barely known or talked about.
Share with us one of your favorite stories from your book.
This is a hard question since all the stories are my favorites. Apteral that’s why they’re in the book! The one I enjoy telling the most is about the baby with meningitis in the chapter “Miracles”. The baby had the worst case of meningitis I ever saw. We thought the baby was not going to make it. After the recovery the mother gave me a sign that says “Expect a Miracle”. I still have it on my desk at work 25 years later.
Please provide a brief description about the day in the life of a pediatrician.
One of the chapters goes through a day in my life at work. I wanted readers to get a sense of what it was like for me as a person to go from one intense personal interaction to another all day long. I don’t think people realize how many family issues we face in a day. Even as I wrote it and then read it I was impressed with how personally dedicated we have to be in medicine.
How has the profession changed over the years?
We have made tremendous advances in my 25 years in practice life. Today in the U.S. we rarely see a child with meningitis due to the shots we give. However, our practice life has deteriorated. I find few doctors happy in practice. Patients aren’t satisfied with the complex medical system we have. Some people are making large sums of money from a system nobody is happy with. It is harder to keep a human touch in our medical system as it stands today.
In your opinion, what do patients and families need most from their pediatricians?
Parents need someone who they can connect with easily and who is available to them when they need.
When looking for a pediatrician for their children, what should parents consider?
Parents need to look for a real connection with their pediatrician. He or she has to be someone they can trust. They need someone who will listen and care even about the silliest questions. They need to feel that their pediatrician is there for them and not rushed. That is a tall order for a pediatrician today.
Who should read this book?
I think my book should be read by parents first and foremost. I think they will gain a better understanding of what a pediatrician does. But I believe my book has a wide reach. Pre med college students, medical students, young doctors and nurses – really anyone in medicine should read my book. Anyone who goes to the doctor in our system should read it too. It is easy to read. I know it will make people laugh, and make some cry but it will make them think about our health care system and how it needs to change.