Evening star., 1938-04-06
Do the American People
Want SOcialiZed Medicine?
To the Editor of The Star:

There is considerable talk at the pres
ent time for and against socialized medi-
cine. Most people who have not con-
sidered the faults of socialized medicine
are for 1t a hundred per cent. p. T.
Barnum had the right idea when he said
people like to be fooled" Visualizing
the same high-class medical care that
they have been accustomed to, they nat
urally fall for this tWo-o -three-dollar
month idea. Some people still cling to
the hope Of getting something for moth
ing. People who have given contract
medicine serious thought are naturally
for the efficient service rendered under
our present system.
In order to get clear picture of So
cialized medicine we must consider it
from four angles, namely: From the pa
tents point of view; from the
physician point of view; the relation
ship of physician and patient; the future
of medical progress under Socialized
medicine.
What kind of medical care do the
American people want in time of sick
ness? When illness strikes the patient
wants, and expects, the best medical care
regardless of cost. Patients will go miles
from home in order to receive treatment
from a physician in which they have
confidence and faith rather than go to
the doctor in the same block. Just any
doctor Will not satisfy the American
people; they want the physician that to
their mind is the best. Why is DR.. KS
office always filled with patients? Is it
because DR.. x is high priced? Is it be-
cause the patients have to wait hours for
medical attention, or because of the
great distance some patients have to
travel in order to see him? The real
reason, I believe, is because DR.. x has
inspired confidence in his patients by
giving them honest and efficient medical
care. Patients always have, and will
in the future, demand the doctor of
their choice, the doctor Who through his
skill in the healing arts, has inspired
the confidence of his patients.
Under our present system physicians
must win success through their own
initiative. Doctors must attain through
their service to humanity the respect
and confidence of patients and fellow
physicians if the reward of prosperity is
expected. Therefore patients receive the
doctors individual attention, because
whatever the doctor does for that pa
tlent will either bring him more business
or less business. Now take away from
this doctor the idea that his livelihood
no longer depends on efficiency; in other
words put him on salary What do you
think? His livelihood being assured. he
no longer needs to give efficient service.
There is marked contrast in the pa
tient-doctor relationship between con-
tract medicine and private practice.
Rather than a patient doctor relation
ship we would have more of chain store
idea of relationship under socialized
medicine. The individual interest or at
tention would not be shown under So
clallzed medicine, as the doctors are no
longer trying to build up practice. Un-
der contract medicine the doctors main
idea is to do what he is contracted to do,
and nothing more and that is all the
law expects him to do. The patient S
chances of having the same doctor twice
in succession would be remote as the
available doctor takes the case. The
patients wishes in regards to what doctor
they shall have are not considered in con-
tract medicine.
Future medical progress would practi-
cally stop under socialiZed medicine, for.
there being no competition. doctors
would not strive to improve their service.
Doctors would no longer be masters of
their talents, but would have sold or
bartered them to an unprofessional group
of politicians. Many of our future great
surgeons would be deviated from the
hard road of a medical education to
more promising lines. For the future of
progressive medicine and for the well
fare Of the American people as whole,
may the doctors continue as in the past.
In conclusion it might be well to
clarity the present controversy between
the G. H. A. and the District Medical
Society. 1t would seem that the whole
thing is an attempt to becloud the true
issue. A serous attempt is being made
to arouse public sentiment in favor of a
proposition which is illegal by statute.
The Medical Practice Act passed by
Congress forbids the practice of medi-
cine by corporations. The medical So
ciety did not pass this law Congress
passed it. HAROLD w. FACE.