Omaha daily bee., 1915-10-04
Objections to Fee-Splitting

- Dr. W. A. Evans chicago Tribune. -
c,sPoUID fee-spltting amons doctors be Illegal and
- condemned, while among lawyers and business
men Is approved by law, custom, and public
opiaiony II 80. Why7 Another question: Why is V
discussed in this column?
Fee-spiitting among physicians should not ts al
lowed TO become the custom. Why? Because Of the
abuses to which II leads
How Is it worked2 The 20 this question
shows some OF the possibilities Tor abuse. man con-
suits a pbvslciNn. The physician examines him and
tells him he needs operation The sick man asks
who IL to do the operation II the splitter has an
understanding with some one as TO his comni sion he
suggests the The probability is that he Will say
the patient Il EXPECT to be running into the city
about that time. will take you In" When they
reach city. they the operator together. The
patient may be told that the home doctor is TO assist
at the operation.
In the worst cases of this group the home doctor
the amount 81 the fee, collects IT, and pays
the operator relieving the patient OF all those de-
tails In some the operator collects. saving nothing
to the patient about ayment to the physician whp
with him. The patient can be certain that the
family physician does not assist at the operation. Al
operating organization that each assist
shall have his work cut 4 for him Team work
is a necessity. Each assistant must know how 70
anticipate the next of the operator II an out
side physician II allowed on the operating floor he
may be permitted TO put on gown and stand close
by but he must not touch any instrument The state
ment that the physician 10 paid for assisting cannot
be substantiated
II the physician has not established connections
with fee -spters and wishes to get portion OF the
fee he may tell his patient that he will find out who
IL the best TO operate on him Meanwhile, he ma!
write for bids The physician at home generally has
a suspicion TO which oprators can safely be APP
preached on the proposition of splitting a fee
should the patient learn the facts and ask the fee
splitting family physician 10 justify himself the phys'
clan would explain that he was underpaid; That the
operator was overpad, and that he had q right to
sufficient portion the fee to even Up. His answer
might satisfy person easily satisfied Furthermore
he would claim that the operator selected was compe-
tent To select any other would be bad business pol
lev This answer appears sound, and II. no doubt
would satisfy a person easily satisfied
But let dig little deeper and see II the isets
disclosed by the digging help the fee-splitter. The
Immediate answer 20 fee-sptter is this: II Zee
upIIttnR In n Unsuitable transaction. then lot those
who practice Il come right out in the open Let the
nhva,cian concerned tell the patient that the Zee -
10 he split and the basis which IL Is split
The man who Is cared for by the fee-spftters COOS
mot get a fair deal That is part OF the reason TOT
this article No physi ian can practice fee-sphtuns
without degenerating In time he becomes known as
fee splitter That hurts his standing. 1t makes peo-
ME sspicIous Of him. Of his opinions and advice Ac-
cepting or paying secret commissions reacts on tne
moral and mental tone of the physician Acknowleos
ing 20 hseif that he get business because he pays
for Il he will work hard to perfect himself ana
10 keep abreast the time he otherwise would Fee
splittng is bad for the who practice It, That Is
part of the reason this article.