Dear Lit Loves,
Greetings! I just finished reading a fascinating narrative nonfiction work by a pancreatic surgeon who essentially is blowing the whistle when it comes to U.S. Health Care. I was particularly drawn to this book because I feel that the loss of my father most recently was a direct consequence of negligence and medical malpractice on the part of a novice oncologist; therefore, I wanted to see what a doctor, and especially a surgeon, or someone on the inside had to say about it and I was not disappointed.
First and foremost, the book entitled Unaccountable: What Hospitals Won't Tell You and How Transparency Can Revolutionize Health Care is written by pancreatic surgeon Dr. Marty Makary. Essentially, he details that you need to shop around for the best hospital, doctor, surgeon, etc. just like you would if you were buying a house or car. In other words, do your homework because this is your life we're talking about, okay?! Many people, includng ones I know, assume that any doctor with an M.D. knows best. Oh, hell to the no is what I say. Not every doctor graduated at the top of their class and not every hospital runs like the Mayo Clinic.
So what does Dr. Makary see as the chief problems with our U.S. Health Care today? First, he defines two types of doctors: diagnosticians and proceduralists. The diagnosticians get to the root of the medical problem; what is the specific health issue or crisis you are experiencing? Proceduralists are the doctors that specialize in treating your specific diagnosis or health issue. We have doctors who are conducting colonoscopies, but they are not trained in the latest or more advanced ways of removing large polyps. If this type of doctor discovers a large polyp in your colon and he doesn't know how to remove it right then and there while your out cold for the procedure, you may wake up only to be told you will need another procedure to remove the polyp via an open surgery whereas it could have already been removed during the colonoscopy and sent for a biopsy. More procedures quite often equals more greenback for hospitals and doctors. I was appalled to learn that hospitals can charge what they want for chemotherapy drugs used to treat cancer patients. Say What?! Yes, according to this book, this is true.
And then we have the doctors with the abrasive communication styles and arrogant manners. When I encounter one of these types of docs, I get up and leave. I have neither the time or patience for this type of medical personnel and most often, I'll report it to the hospital as well. Next, the author brings attention to the "Never Should Happen" instances in medicine such as when a doctor leaves an instrument or cloth inside a patient during a surgery. And here's the big itch: hospitals are not required to tell you, the consumer, how often this happens in their hospitals or the doctors with whom it happens the most! Outrageous! Finally, there is the pervasive hospital culture of no one speaking up when mistakes are obvious. In other words, someone on the hospital's staff sees improper practice or care and is afraid to bring it to a doctor's attention for fear of being fired.
And if you really want to know which hospital is the best and which doctors are the best, guess who you should ask? The people that work at the hospitals and with the doctors. Dr. Makary speaks about what should be happening in today's healthcare facilities today so we as consumers know where to go for a specific illness or which hospital has the most frequent readmission rates or infection rates. All this type of data should be available to consumers, but it's not. And it doesn't sound like administrators at hospitals want this information made available to patients because they would have to be held accountable for the losses that might occur should patients see this kind of information and choose to take their business elsewhere.
Honestly, I personally have asked a trusted specialist at any major university hospital where I receive treatment, if your daughter or son had this illness who would you choose as a specialist to treat it? Know what? Most every time, the specialist has told me who they would entrust with the treatment and what doctor to not go near in terms of treatment. That's it. Ask the nurses, physician assistants, nursing aids, and hospital staff the following: Would you have a surgery at the hospital where you work? Would you feel comfortable speaking up if you witnessed something going wrong with a patient's care or treatment? And on a scale of 1 to 10, where would you rank your hospital staff in terms of teamwork? This kind of information should be available to consumers on every hospital website. And let me just add that I always advise getting a second opinion when you receive a dire health diagnosis. If a doctor has a hissy fit about you getting a second opinion then you don't want him/her treating you in the first place. If they truly know their practice and are exceptional in their field, they will welcome or even encourage you to get a second opinion.
Most of what Dr. Makary writes about regarding U.S. Health Care, I find myself saying, "Amen!" I will say though that I disagree with him that local hospitals are better than large, famous ones. Not in my experience. I've watched a local cancer center oncologist fail to get my father proper antibiotic treatment and hospitalization following a serious case of pneumonia. My father was also a two time survivor of a rare lymphoma and had a seriously compromised immune system. She should be held accountable in my opinion. And yes, I believe in suing to the highest dollar if a doctor is negligent in the care of a patient and that neglect gives direct rise to a patient's death. And if the hospital hired that doctor then they too should be held monetarily and publicly accountable most definitely. Also, I watched recently when a beloved member of my home church congregation went for a week not being able to speak and generally feeling unwell. She went to see her primary care doctor, an ENT, and also landed in a local hospital's Emergency Room only to later die because no one recognized the signs that she was experiencing a stroke. So no, I won't be going to that local hospital out in the boonies for any kind of treatment anytime soon I assure you. On that recommendation, I disagree with Marty Makary.
This book was a great read. It will really open your eyes as a consumer to what drives U.S. Health Care. It will also advise you on what to look for in a doctor or surgeon, questions to ask, and encourage you to ask hospital personnel what they think of where they work. On a 1 to 5 scale, I rate this book as a 4 or definitely put it on your "to read" list; it just might save your life or the life of someone you love.
Till my next update or review,
Grace
(Amy)
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