Today's Lunch

Today's lunch, hosted by a drug company representative concerned about staying employed in this era of company consolidation with layoffs, was notable. A recently retired superb oncologist, with impeccable judgment, patient relationships, integrity, knowledge and skills told us that he had left practice because in his last year he lost $60,000 and could no longer afford to practice. Another excellent experienced highly competent physician, who needs to find new office space, observed that space comparable to his current $3 thousand a month space would cost him $8 thousand a month which he cannot afford.

These are solo physicians who have taken superb care of patients year in and year out. The corporatization of competing (but not equal quality) medical practice, and the inability of these physicians to negotiate successfully and competitively with payers and space/service providers because they are not part of a muscular network, has put them at risk of being forced out of practice.

The emphasis on computerized medical records is misplaced. Why throw high-quality current practicing doctors away while chasing the Computerized Medical Record windmill?