Survival rates are stable. Quality of life is up. On the other hand, there is less time than ever for developing sound doctor-patient relationships. Physicians' practice patterns are being scrutinized for nonconformance. Patients will switch organizations and physicians for a few dollars a month, and those few dollars are the value of the relationship.
Physicians also deserve respect and have had little from managed care plans, payers and employers.
Too many doctors now feel disheartened and impotent. Physicians don't game the system for individuals or for themselves. But physicians should try to change the rules when they are unfair, and should try to regain some control over the direction of patient treatment. Patients badly want this. Hospital clinical privilege reports to the Data Bank are expected to increase in coming years.