In addition, they would enjoy the respect and recognition of their peers for work well done. All physicians, inpatients, and outpatients could benefit greatly by full utilization of electronic medical records to decrease error, increase communication, enhance privacy and confidentiality, and eliminate coding problems and administrative paper waste. More resentment than physicians can imagine results from undiscussed charges. No explanations are provided, no discussion is encouraged, and no recourse from the final bill is offered. Requiring full disclosure, whether for ambulatory or hospital care, would remove a great deal of patient distrust and resentment, which, as we have seen, is a chronic source of malpractice allegations.
Many patients see their care as, in effect, an insurance blank check .
Removing the economic barriers to medical school education would free physicians from an overwhelming concern about money and debt. Those who like patient care and patient interactions would move toward the primary care specialties. Those more intrigued with sophisticated medical and surgical interventions would move to the referral specialties. Those drawn to basic and applied medical research would move in that direction. While the marketplace as well as personal preference would determine the mix of specialties, some thought should be given to workforce needs.