The DJP Update

DJP Update 5-31-2012  Views of Young Physicians about the U.S. Healthcare System: Pessimism

Here is another survey of physicians (March 2012).  This one is from the Physicians’ Foundation and is entitled “Next Generation Physician Survey.”

It is sad that the healthcare system has evolved to such a state that pessimism is prevalent:  Here is an excerpt:

These physicians are markedly pessimistic regarding the future of the U.S. healthcare system, with the “new healthcare legislation” ranking as a strong #1 reason for the pessimism. Many voice considerable cynicism with (what several call) “government’ involvement.”

You can download the entire survey (25 page PDF) at:

http://www.physiciansfoundation.org/FoundationReportDetails.aspx?id=360

More info about the Physicians’ Foundation can be found at:  http://www.physiciansfoundation.org/

Here is an excerpt from the Executive Summary and other sections:

An Overview
 The typical younger physician in this survey is 37 years of age and is an
employee of a medical group; with the largest single segment being
employees of small groups (6 or fewer physicians): 58% are employees of
medical groups, and almost half of those (48%) are with the smaller groups.
In contrast, 26% are with mid-sized groups (with 7 to 12 physicians), and 26%
are with larger groups (13-plus physicians).

 These physicians are markedly pessimistic regarding the future of the U.S.
healthcare system, with the “new healthcare legislation” ranking as a strong
#1 reason for the pessimism. Many voice considerable cynicism with (what
several call) “government’ involvement.”

 Financial-related considerations play a key role in the choice of practice/
arrangement. Most cite “income/cash flow” and “employment security” as
factors influencing their current arrangement. And among the 27% who
changed (or considered changing) their practice/arrangement in the past
year, the leading reason given related to “financial issues.”

 The vast majority express satisfaction with their current practice /
arrangement (with 35% saying they are “highly satisfied,” and another 45%
saying they are “somewhat satisfied”); and most expect to stay with the
current practice/ arrangement for 8 years or more. Many (39%) aspire to
some form of ownership position in the future (as either sole owner or
partner).
—-
EXCERPT FROM PAGE 7

Views regarding the Future of the U.S. Healthcare System
 These young physicians exhibit considerable pessimism regarding the
future of the U.S. healthcare system:

– When it comes to the Affordable Care Act, 49% believe the impact on
their practice will be negative, vs. only 23% who believe it will be
positive. Among the three practice-types, the Primary Care physicians
exhibited somewhat less pessimism vs. the other two segments: They
were a bit more likely to be “positive” or “neutral,” a bit less likely to be
negative.

– And well over half (57%) are pessimistic about the future of the U.S.
healthcare system (with over 30% saying they’re “highly pessimistic”). In
contrast, only 4% are “highly optimistic,” and 18% who are “somewhat
optimistic”. When asked (open-ended) reasons for their pessimism,
responses covered a wide spectrum of negatives – with the “new
healthcare legislation” leading the way. Indeed, as one peruses the
responses to the question, the cynicism voiced by so many – with most
of it directed at “government” – stands out:

Why do you feel pessimistic about the future of the U.S. Healthcare System?

“(Because of) government involvement.”
“(I) Don’t trust government to do the right thing for patients and physicians
or to enact lasting improvements.”

“Because the U.S. healthcare system isn’t concerned about the
employees or patients. They’re just concerned about the money.”

“Government control is a recipe for disaster. They cannot run a business
and cannot control expenses. How could they do a good job on
healthcare? It is a real joke!”
————-
Read the entire survey.

LAGNIAPPE:  I note that former U.S. Senator, Presidential Candidate, and Plaintiff Trial Lawyer, John Edwards was found not guilty today on one count and there was a hung jury on the other counts.  Obviously complex campaign laws.  If the jury decided the money was a gift (I don’t know what the reasoning was) and not a campaign contribution, wonder if that creates an income tax problem?

Stay well.
Donald

P.S. check out some recent tweets at:  www.Twitter.com/DJPNEWS

Some past selected DJP Updates can be found at: www.DJPupdate.com
Donald J. Palmisano, MD, JD
Intrepid Resources® / The Medical Risk Manager Company
5000 West Esplanade Ave., #432
Metairie, LA 70006
USA
504-455-5895 office
504-455-9392 fax
DJP@donaldpalmisano.com
www.donaldpalmisano.com
www.onleadership.us
DJP Updates:  www.DJPupdate.com
Twitter:  www.twitter.com/DJPNEWS
YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/user/IntrepidResources
This DJP Update goes to over 2300 leaders in Medicine representing all of the State Medical Associations and over 100 Specialty Societies plus some other friends.
You can share it with your members and it has the potential to reach 800,000 physicians.
To join the list, send me an  email stating “Join DJP Update”
To get off the list, state ” Remove DJP Update” in subject line.

DJP Update 5-28-2012 Memorial Day – 3 p.m. National Moment of Remembrance

A moment of silence and remembrance at 3 p.m. today, your local time.  See link in my tweet today.
——
www.twitter.com/DJPNEWS
Donald Palmisano ‏@DJPNEWS
The National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m. local time on this #MemorialDay to honor the fallen heroes who died for us http://tinyurl.com/3gynq2f
——–
I also received this Memorial Day Message from the President of Jefferson Parish in Louisiana, John Young.  
Something to reflect about as we remember those who died protecting the freedom and liberty that brave souls enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution.

————-

Greater love than this, no one has, than to lay down his life for one’s friends. John 15:13

It is the VETERAN, not the preacher, who has given us freedom of religion;

It is the VETERAN, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press;

It is the VETERAN, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech;

It is the VETERAN, not the campus organizer, who has given us freedom
to assemble;

It is the VETERAN, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial;

It is the VETERAN, not the politician, who has given us the right to vote;

It is the VETERAN, who salutes the Flag;

Is is the VETERAN who serves under the Flag,

As we commemorate memorial day with our families and friends at picnics and barbecues, let us not forget the heroic American men and women who paid the ultimate price, and made the ultimate sacrifice, to protect, serve and die for the very freedoms we often take for granted. May God continue to bless you and your family, and may God continue to bless the greatest country on Earth – the United States of America.

———– End of John Young note.

And remember your 1st Amendment Rights and voice your opinions even when others try to avoid the issues in the debate and attempt to smear you instead.  Be not afraid.  You are an American.  And brave individuals died to protect those rights.

Stay well.
Donald

P.S. check out some recent tweets at:  www.Twitter.com/DJPNEWS

Some past selected DJP Updates can be found at: www.DJPupdate.com
Donald J. Palmisano, MD, JD
Intrepid Resources® / The Medical Risk Manager Company
5000 West Esplanade Ave., #432
Metairie, LA 70006
USA
504-455-5895 office
504-455-9392 fax
DJP@donaldpalmisano.com
www.donaldpalmisano.com
www.onleadership.us
DJP Updates:  www.DJPupdate.com
Twitter:  www.twitter.com/DJPNEWS
YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/user/IntrepidResources
This DJP Update goes to over 2300 leaders in Medicine representing all of the State Medical Associations and over 100 Specialty Societies plus some other friends.
You can share it with your members and it has the potential to reach 800,000 physicians.
To join the list, send me an  email stating “Join DJP Update”
To get off the list, state ” Remove DJP Update” in subject line.

DJP Update 5-9-2012 A visit to Washington, D.C. – Leadership Camp of PIAA and a mention of surveys; LAGNIAPPE: 1- My new book; 2- St. John’s

Recently I have had the opportunity to travel across America for various meetings.  From home in New Orleans (Metairie) to beautiful Napa and now to the exciting city of Washington, D.C.  I lived in D.C. for 3 months when I was 12 years old and have great memories of all the museums and national treasures here.

Today in Washington, I had the privilege, as a member of  the Leadership Committee of Physicians Insurers Association of America (PIAA), to introduce Dr. Richard Reece, pathologist, author of 11 books, and blogger (Medinnovation Blog), for his talk to the Leadership Camp meeting.  I enjoyed his presentation regarding the future of medicine under the current health system reform.  In summary, he said if PPACA is not ruled unconstitutional or repealed, the future is bleak.  He also pointed out to the audience an e-survey of 650,000 physicians that is underway by The Physicians Foundation.  The results are due out in 2012 before November.  You can participate by going to:

Homepage

An article about that survey underway now is at:  http://www.physiciansmoneydigest.com/blogs/financial-health-check-up/04-2012/Survey-Takes-the-Pulse-of-650000-Physicians

I look forward to seeing that survey.  That survey plus the one already done entitled “The Future of Health Care Survey” by The Doctors Company (TDC) –Disclosure: I am on board of TDC– should give lawmakers in Washington, DC, something to think about as they pass laws that directly alter the patient-physician relationship.

Here is the TDC survey summary and link to full survey:  http://www.thedoctors.com/KnowledgeCenter/Publications/CON_ID_004672

Incidentally, my interview of 10-31-2009 with Paul Gigot on The Wall Street’s Journal’s “Journal Editorial Report” discussing the proposed health care bill that later became PPACA and the Public Option that was contained in the version of the bill Congress  was discussing at that time.  The interview also mentions AMA.  It is posted at:

http://www.youtube.com/user/IntrepidResources

Interesting to reflect back on those discussions as time goes by and the United States Supreme Court is about to render a decision on the final version of PPACA.

The 2012 edition of the PIAA annual Medical Liability Conference starts in the morning and ends on Saturday.

If only legislators in Washington, DC and in the state houses across our nation all understood the pernicious effect of the current broken medical liability system, the world would be a better place.  Sometimes legislators learn the hard way when a certain specialist is needed in an emergency for a family member and there no longer is such a specialist in that community.  But then it is too late.

LAGNIAPPE:

1- My new book, The Little Red Book of Leadership Lessons is in the hands of the publisher.  Soon I will get proofs of the typesetting showing the optional ways to present the leadership quotes and the images.  I am excited about the book.  It has a Foreword by a popular leader (will keep you in suspense), an Introduction, 212 pages of leadership quotes from antiquity to present times, 100 images, and an Afterword.  It joins the popular Little Red Book series.

It is is a book of ideas; ideas devoted to leadership promoting liberty.  I hope you will like it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Publication date is October 2012 in hardcover.  Will keep you posted on arrival date in books stores and via optional ebook at Amazon Kindle, iBooks, and Nook.

2- I read about St. John’s College many years ago and found it fascinating that the entire curriculum was 100 books.  In order for a new book to be added, one of the other books had to be removed.
Wow!  Imagine advocating for a new book and having to decide if either Aristole, Plato, Homer, Chaucer, Euclid, Galileo, or one of the others on the list would be removed.

There are two campuses: one in Annapolis and the other in Sante Fe.
See the Website:  http://www.sjca.edu/

I mention St. John’s because I had never, to my knowledge, met a graduate of the school.  Today I met one!  She is Jill Knerr of the staff of the PIAA, a very nice person.  It was fascinating to interview her about the school.  She also informed me that her husband is a graduate of St. John’s.  I will venture that there are some interesting philosophical discussions in their family!  Definitely fun to meet a graduate of St. John’s!

Stay well.
Donald

P.S. check out some recent tweets at:  www.Twitter.com/DJPNEWS

Some past selected DJP Updates can be found at: www.DJPupdate.com

Donald J. Palmisano, MD, JD

Intrepid Resources® / The Medical Risk Manager Company

5000 West Esplanade Ave., #432

Metairie, LA 70006

USA

504-455-5895 office

504-455-9392 fax

DJP@donaldpalmisano.com

www.donaldpalmisano.com

www.onleadership.us

DJP Updates:  www.DJPupdate.com

Twitter:  www.twitter.com/DJPNEWS

YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/user/IntrepidResources

This DJP Update goes to over 2300 leaders in Medicine representing all of the State Medical Associations and over 100 Specialty Societies plus some other friends.

You can share it with your members and it has the potential to reach 800,000 physicians.

To join the list, send me an  email stating “Join DJP Update”

To get off the list, state ” Remove DJP Update” in subject line.