Are Our Doctors to Blame? – Part 2

This is a continuation of my last blog. When Dr. Leana Wen first posted this blog, I thought (correctly) that she would come under a lot of criticism from many of her colleagues. The criticism has been there, but the surprise has been the number of doctors that have supported her.

From her post on October 15 until today, many doctors have come to her support and asking how they can help. Even many patient organizations have voiced their support. They have called for reestablishment of the doctor-patient trust that has declined in recent years to almost non-existent.

Yes, the criticism has been there and some are more vocal than others. Like these doctors belittle their patients, they have tried to belittle Dr. Wen. My own personal observation is that these doctors have shown their true colors and medicine would be better off without them. They seem to care less about doctor-patient trust and more about their own self-image than about how they can rebuild patient trust. Yes, the patients are now seeing these doctors among the rubble of their pedestals, yet many doctors won't be able to rebuild them and don't want to rebuild trust, just their wallets.

Some of their comments have been very caustic and I would say that if I had seen the names of any of my doctors among these comments, I doubt I could retain any of them as part of my team. When several of the medical blogs and medical reporting groups have given her coverage and positive comments, these doctors have still see it their duty to try to put Dr. Wen in her place and put her down.

With what we are seeing in the medical community transpiring today, patients are slowly being made second-class citizens by the medical community. Doctors are being directed to communicate with patients and provide quality care, but doctors are pushing back and taking from patients what many have worked long and hard to accomplish. This is happening in the world of diabetes and in other areas.

Yet there is hope as some doctors are working with patients to better their position in life and health. These are the doctors that will be highly regarded in the future and respected for their actions, not the fullness of their wallets. Their wallets will be overflowing with riches of all types and not the riches of greed that many doctors are doing today to line their coffins.

These doctors are speaking in a language that patients find easy to understand and follow, not the language of techno babble the doctors of greed use. These doctors talk with or treat their patients with respect while the doctors of greed talk down to their patients. As we move further into the world of the Affordable Care Act, this distinction will become even more apparent and we as patients will know it.

Therefore, yes, many doctors are to blame for the poor healthcare we are receiving today, but they will be replaced slowly by the more caring, concerned doctors that are showing respect today.