THE DEATH TEAM
A few months ago, one of the political parties characterized participants in end-of-life discussions with patients as death teams. In my service, for years, in various biomedical ethical roles, I never found that characterization to be accurate: the discussion among patients and physicians and nurses were always done carefully, with a full sensitivity to the needs of all concerned, and without pressure on patients and their families to take steps which would inflict harm.
But there are death teams. They are the bureaucrats who, without having taken an oath to do no harm, sit in their cubicles administering the financial and utilization protocols their superiors have provided to them which may result in a denial of services or equipment or - ultimately - of life. This is not an issue of the content of the Affordable Care Act: it is an issue of arrogance, contempt and a lack of humanity.
This morning I received a call from the company which has recently provided me with diabetic testing equipment. They said they were sorry, but that government organization has placed a moratorium on the company's ability to provide diabetic testing supplies for type 2 diabetic and now strictly requires extensive paperwork from physicians and institutions to justify continuing to supply. Physicians who have had their incomes cut by Medicare are being asked to supply more time and paperwork. Patients suffer,the costs of hospitalization, dialysis, wound treatment, neurologic disorders and other diabetic conditions suffer. But the bureaucracy grinds on.
This is not an issue of one party or the other. It is an issue of governmental inadequacy, in which financial control and power have replaced common sense, medical ethics and judgment.
A few months ago, one of the political parties characterized participants in end-of-life discussions with patients as death teams. In my service, for years, in various biomedical ethical roles, I never found that characterization to be accurate: the discussion among patients and physicians and nurses were always done carefully, with a full sensitivity to the needs of all concerned, and without pressure on patients and their families to take steps which would inflict harm.
But there are death teams. They are the bureaucrats who, without having taken an oath to do no harm, sit in their cubicles administering the financial and utilization protocols their superiors have provided to them which may result in a denial of services or equipment or - ultimately - of life. This is not an issue of the content of the Affordable Care Act: it is an issue of arrogance, contempt and a lack of humanity.
This morning I received a call from the company which has recently provided me with diabetic testing equipment. They said they were sorry, but that government organization has placed a moratorium on the company's ability to provide diabetic testing supplies for type 2 diabetic and now strictly requires extensive paperwork from physicians and institutions to justify continuing to supply. Physicians who have had their incomes cut by Medicare are being asked to supply more time and paperwork. Patients suffer,the costs of hospitalization, dialysis, wound treatment, neurologic disorders and other diabetic conditions suffer. But the bureaucracy grinds on.
This is not an issue of one party or the other. It is an issue of governmental inadequacy, in which financial control and power have replaced common sense, medical ethics and judgment.
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