I spent 26 years in education learning to be a specialist in my field. I am university based, which means I am at the lowest spectrum of salary for my profession. I have high overhead including taxes to the Dean. I spend unreimbursed hours every day teaching future doctors how to care for the sickest of patients. And the majority of my patients are indeed on some form of public support, be it SSI, SSDI, or Medicaid. However, if a child or family needs interpreter services, they are provided without question./QUOTE]
I believe you, no doubt thats quite a long time to study, obviously you would have a big overhead to manage, sorry to learn this but yes you wanted to study. In support of your quest for excellenty in striving to help people as you do, I dont think these extremely high overheads are justifiable, and it can be reduced but the whole thing in managements of med schools, and such are not immune to high costs of specialist equipments used for teaching as well as all sorts of other costs admins, but i am sure other would digress.
Please understand that in this economy, some doctors in private practice are barely managing. The amount insurance or Medicaid/Medicare reimburses for an office visit may be as little as $25. Interpreter agencies in this area charge $50-$70 per hour, often with a 1-2 hour limit. I am NOT justifying the refusal of interpreter services to ANYONE, I am simply shedding a little light on the reality of medical practice and the financial hardship that "doing the right thing" may entail. Most doctors are NOT driven by greed, unlike many personal injury attorneys.
I understand economy, some-only doctors are greedy (or somewhat forced to justify but not realising its all part of the big picture) and to that other side of the continuum, they prefer to keep quiet (and probably having a few good luck to get rid of THEIR big overheads (no one would really blame them - in one angle of looking at this situation, but when tipped around you see a different picture - the whole thing is tied up like a massive catch-22, stemming from this 'economic obligation' we are all bidded by 'law' to maintain.
Most doctors?? id say some, if not most. I agreed about attorneys, they do NOTHING but use their silver tongues and wit to mount up their fees. not only lawyers, but also the actual suppliers of medical equipments, and chemicals for pharmaceutical drugs and Anesthesia. These are frighteningly Expensive, and whats more much of these rely on petroluem which are in now a dire situation that is facing pending oil depletion. Finding alternatives to replace these and maintain similar effects (or indeed most likely have to exhibit an exact chemical reaction in the body (oh boy i dunno how they gonna do this but...).
there is untold numbers of scientists, laboratory technicians, hazardous goods storage (that can get expensive too), and handlers, distributors, chemical engineers, research pathologists (to affirm of new chemicals are safe, etc etc ) the medical care isnt reduced to just a hospital building (that itself is still quite interesting from a structural/civil engineering perspective) there are far reaching chains of involvment in this medicine industry. So, with all this much behind the scene of those dwell and work at hospitals, private practioners offices, it is clear that is it more than just merely doctors salaries.
Indeed you are right, long hours is common and I should grant alot of respect to doctors (that i do now) here the quote i find in the wiki (ok some says it unreliable information, if purely used for university, they yes its a no-no, other sources are sought, however here goes;
Surgical training in the U.S. requires a minimum of five years of residency after medical school. Sub-specialties of surgery often require seven or more years. In addition, fellowships can last an additional one to three years. Because post-residency fellowships can be competitive, many trainees devote two additional years to research. Thus in some cases surgical training will not finish until more than a decade after medical school. Furthermore, surgical training can be very difficult and time consuming. A surgical resident's average work week is approximately 75 hours. Some subspecialties of surgery, such as neurosurgery, require even longer hours, and utilize an extension to the 80 hour regulated work week, allowing up to 88 hours per week. Many surgical programs still exceed this work hour limit. Attempts to limit the amount of hours worked has been difficult because of the large volume of patients who require surgical care, the limited amount of resources (including a shortage of people willing to enter into surgery as a career)
so yes im not going to dispute this with you, and i never intended to, not even before, as i knew this, as my father was a RN for a psychiatric hospital, as a child i understood this, and the whys he is not home for dinners often and am in awe at this dedication.
All that aside, it is illegal, unethical, and immoral to refuse medical interpretation in the US and Canada, and refusal to provide services should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
indeed, but they still continue if it 'fits' until the whistle is blown at some point (like this one in this thread).
And while I'm still on my soapbox, everyone has a responsibility in controlling the cost of healthcare. Practice preventative medicine. Stop self-abusive and destructive behaviors, starting with obesity and smoking, and including moderation in alcohol intake. Get sufficient exercise. Do not use the Emergency Department as a substitute for your primary care doctor. And do not insist on antibiotics for the common cold or every little ailment.
A little free advice from a not so greedy doctor.
*steps down off soapbox*
guilty of use ED once, but , BUT my ear is extremely sensitive , when I get infection, my tinnitus goes from bad to nightmare and its relentless it lasts for months, so I think i wasnt abusive to the system, so they syringyed out the wax,deadskin, that piled at the drum, after that I'm safe. Ive only done this once, i did debated (in my head) is this silly but my ear is hurting i know in the after hours, waiting till next day could be nasty (as it was from experience). but other than that you are right, we should practice in being sensible and being practical.
i dont smoke, do drugs, drink whisky in a very seldom manner (usually after i done the essay then id just have 2 nips and lie down)
I would like to say, i truely admire and acknowledge that your dedication in being a doctor, as well as being deaf, and being a user of a wheelchair.
I commend you. I dont assume.
