Medic 41

One associate professor from a very prestigious university was shocked upon receiving a letter which stated that he will be removed from the provider network of a US health care firm. He knew that it was due to his open tirades against these HMOs that he was forcefully let go even if they did not give him any reason on why he was suddenly fired. He kept talking about the fact that this very HMO, along with others that only care about profit endanger the health of their patients by giving incentives to physicians who deny them of the care they need and forcing them to sign gag clauses as predetermined in the standard contract this HMO uses. This site teaches you about medical jobs in.

 

Under this contract, the doctor must agree to never taking any form of communication or action that will dishearten enrollees, potential enrollees, their superiors, union members or the quality of the coverage and most importantly, all these are to be kept confidential. To sum it up easily, a doctor can be fired anytime he tells a patient something that an HMO would not agree on.

 

In the current culture of health service, where their only concern is to maximize earnings, these HMOs tailor fit these policies to keep doctors from letting their patients know the truth on their treatment options, prognoses and diagnoses. Just take a look at these hypothetical scenarios of what may be as these doctors are gagged.

 

The mammogram results of a 49-year-old lady shows evidence of a vague shadow. The woman’s doctor wants to order another test to see if the troubling finding is just a machine error, not a cancerous mass. This is no longer shouldered by the HMO and this becomes a problem. Advising the patient to consider a second opinion from another hospital could be taken as criticism against the quality of care her HMO provides. The doctor prescribed the patient to be back after six months. Sadly, it would be very critical for her within that six months if she does indeed have cancer of the breast. Visit this site for further information on doctor job.

 

An action should be made to a 60-year-old man to lessen an obstruction caused an enlarged prostate. The man’s surgeon would like to consider a new laser technique that produces less blood loss, less pain, risk of infection or impotence. But the truth of the matter is that the HMO is only covering it if the patient undergoes a riskier procedure. But if the surgeon tells his patient regarding the new surgery and advises an appeal of permission to use the HMO, he could be fired from his position.

 

A 35-year-old woman is currently facing sever bouts of depression. The lady’s doctor wanted to prescribe medicine that won’t have major side effects or risk from a self administered overdose. However, the HMO has agreed to push for the drug that has so many side effects as well as the chance of death from overdose. The doctor is encouraging her to buy the better brand by herself. After he had signed the contract, his mouth is silenced. A patient who is well informed is the only one who can make good decisions for his health.

 

With the complex and changing medical knowledge available, even the most intelligent consumers look on to physicians to make them understand. If physicians cannot speak honestly with patients, the latter can’t hope to control their health care fates. Patients in this situation would be considered foolish if they were to believe everything their doctors are telling them.

 

In California, a consumer watchdog group, and the state’s nurses association have filed a ballot initiative that would ban such gag orders. Patients under HMOs can now consult their doctors via their professional organizations, legislation and through education of the masses. The man who got fired after his strong criticisms against policies of HMOs must be a role model to many other medical practitioners to stand up against these unjust ways. Prior to returning his contract, he deleted the gag clause as soon as he received the health care contract.

 

Gag stipulations found in HMO contracts cancel out what the Hippocratic Oath stands for, that physicians must never cause harm on another and that he must work to his capability and judgment to ensure the patient’s health. It is a horror how most doctors under the Hippocratic Oath have entered into an agreement that compromises the health and well-being of his patients.