I know that PA's (Physician's Assistants) are big right now. Anyone have an idea how the "Dr Nurse" compares to the PA?
 
Henry Stern, LUTCF, CBC | Homepage | 05.06.08 - 9:32 am | #

If doctors "no longer have time to do" "finance, health policy, and systems know-how" while they are filling their roles as direct care providers, what makes you think "new kinds of PCP's", whatever they're called or whoever fills the role, will have more time to do them, especially for less money? This column is totally devoid of logic. Rather than fix the systems problems you note--and some you don't-- (dysfunctional incentives to become specialists over primary care providers, high cost of medical training, emphasis on high-priced technology without evidence that it works, dysfunctional and over-priced private insurance system/gatekeepers to healthcare services, ), you prefer to make up another category of healthcare provider who will magically be immune to the systemic problems that currently exist. Talk about magical thinking!
ACarroll | 05.16.08 - 5:31 pm | #

Horseless carriages! Bah, they'll never catch on! - A Carroll, buggy whip manufacturer, circa 1903.

If you'd click the link in the post, you'd see that there's no need for Bob to "make up another category of healthcare provider;" they're already here.

If I were you, I'd sell that BetaMax stock.


Henry Stern, LUTCF, CBC | Homepage | 05.16.08 - 9:42 pm | #