Why is American health care so expensive?

Influenza is a nasty viral illness characterized by fever, headache, sore throat, runny nose and a cough. These words don't come close to conveying the actual misery of a real whomping case of the flu. Most of my patients with the flu feel too miserable to come in to the office, which is good, because influenza is very contagious. Not only is it contagious when it first occurs, it remains contagious for 1-2 weeks. But I stray from my description. The patients who do come in to see me with the flu are usually too miserable to adequately describe their symptoms, preferring to moan and answer my questions with short answers. I have had the flu several times, and what I most vividly remember is being nearly unable to move. Usually when I get the flu, I start the day out thinking that I might be getting a little cold, but that I can certainly work. Then the viruses start doubling and infecting my vulnerable cells and I realize that I need to get home. I have traditionally been able to t...

I have had a love hate relationship with our computerized medical record since we first started using it in 2007. Much like computers in all of American society, the idea that our computerized medical record is just a small facet of what we do, involved in the storage of information, is a gross simplification. In the US (also elsewhere, but I can't speak for Europe or Asia from much personal experience) the ubiquitous presence of computers has affected how we work, play, think, communicate. These interfaces with brains that we use so frequently have made us fatter, more connected to each others' thoughts, less connected to each others' bodies, has reduced our ability to use non-visual senses, has partially convinced us that 3 dimensions are optional, and I could go on for hours (at which time all hope of going out for a walk would be gone.) In my medical office, my near-umbilical connection to my laptop has touched all parts of what I do. The production of a document, which...

I have only 6 more days in my present job as a primary care internist in my home town. The process of wrapping things up has been new and time consuming, but ultimately very rewarding. I get to see patients I've known for over a decade, in some instances, and review what has happened with their lives and their health and we work on future plans for maintaining what they have gained and getting a handle on problems still bothering them. We say goodbyes and good lucks and talk about the important, big stuff, like hopes and dreams and medication refills. Interspersed among these appointments and phone calls are multiple communications about my next job, whatever that will turn out to be. I am signed up with 2 locums companies, and in contact with 4 recruiters who are my agents, as well as the recruiters that are associated with my possible new jobs. The phone calls are mostly really interesting, since I get to hear about new places and how they are doing what they do in health care....

As part of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment act (the massive stimulus package enacted at the beginning of our economic slump) doctors were offered money to start using computerized medical records for their patients insured by Medicare and Medicaid.  It was felt to be evident at that time that use of a computers to document patients' medical encounters would make communication between providers better, reduce errors, reduce redundancy of testing and procedures and overall streamline documentation. Many physicians had already started on the road to making their records digital, but government support made others take the big step.  Our office bought a very expensive computer software package from GE along with all of the hardware to support it in 2007, and by the time the stimulus package passed, we had almost adjusted to the change. We figured we would probably be well set up to be rewarded for having made this momentous change before the majority of offices. Adju...