I wrote early in the life of this blog about the benefits to patients of physician ownership of medical facilities (it was march of 2011 if you want to read it). Briefly, physician owners are accountable to patients not only for the care they render but for the care the patient receives from the medical personnel working in the facility they own. The physician owner can’t say, “well…I did my part, but that idiot nurse messed up and that’s not my fault.” It is his fault if that nurse works for him and for the facility he owns. Bad employees don’t stick around facilities that are physician-owned because that increases the liability for that doctor.
Bad doctors are typically not kept on the medical staff either. Some fool surgeon that is unethical or incompetent increases the trouble for everyone that is an owner. There is no cross-accountability or liability in a facility where there is no physician ownership.
Physician owners can’t very well hide behind an incredibly high bill, either. They can’t say, “I have nothing to do with that excessive bill, “as they have all of the control in a facility they own.
I could go on.
Try to keep this in mind as you watch the second video from the very talented Dr. Jason Sigmon. Once again, so many points are made in his video I plan to comment on them in later blogs. Pay particular attention to the part at the end that shines light on one reason health care is so expensive. Thanks to Dr. Sigmon for sharing yet another gem.
G. Keith Smith, M.D.
