There was a great revelation that
occurred during the frustrating process of trying to contact my
legislators.After no responses to my
countless emails and phone calls, I realized that doctors who are members of the
State medical association have MEDICAL PRACTICES!I googled the names and addresses of members
of both the State and National Legislative Councils for the Florida Medical
Association.My husband and I sent
letters by US mail to each of these council members.Within days my husband received phone calls
from a number of these doctors.They
were very interested in the issue of “Residency Shortage”, and quite appalled
by the current travesty.
It turns out, most physicians and
healthcare professionals, do not really know the enormity of this
situation.The ramifications for
unmatched graduate doctors unable to complete their training are
appalling.The natural consequence of
“discarding” thousands of graduated and fully qualified doctors at a time when
there is an impending doctor shortage (up to 90,000 doctors over the next
decade) is complete insanity!
This is all going on ”under the radar”. These unmatched doctors are so
mortified and despondent, they’re not broadcasting this dire situation to
friends and family.It is very humbling,
because 20 years ago and before the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, all doctor
graduates matched into a residency.The
impression is that somehow they have failed, when it is the system which has
failed them.They are not stupid, there
is a SHORTAGE!
There were unmatched doctors before the BBA OF 1997. We can't ask Congress to throw money at the problem. The medicare funding for the GME of 1965 was meant to be temporary until the medical establishment would be able to get its acts together. The Congress trusted the medical establishment too much as it gave it to the "professionals" to take care of the GME. Congress could, for example, distribute the fund to the trainees as vouchers instead of paying the hospitals directly. At this point, I think that the only thing left is intervention by the judicial system to solve the problem. The judicial system can be invited by a good attorney who can raise the profile of the problem and take it from "under the radar" to "on the radar" by building a class-action case on behalf of the unmatched doctors. Instead of being mortified and despondent, The unmatched doctors will be encouraged and optimistic if they are contacted by the attorney for building the case. Finally, I would hope that one post be devoted to discussing the prospect of intervention by the judicial system.
There were unmatched doctors before the BBA OF 1997. We can't ask Congress to throw money at the problem. The medicare funding for the GME of 1965 was meant to be temporary until the medical establishment would be able to get its acts together. The Congress trusted the medical establishment too much as it gave it to the "professionals" to take care of the GME. Congress could, for example, distribute the fund to the trainees as vouchers instead of paying the hospitals directly. At this point, I think that the only thing left is intervention by the judicial system to solve the problem.
ReplyDeleteThe judicial system can be invited by a good attorney who can raise the profile of the problem and take it from "under the radar" to "on the radar" by building a class-action case on behalf of the unmatched doctors. Instead of being mortified and despondent, The unmatched doctors will be encouraged and optimistic if they are contacted by the attorney for building the case. Finally, I would hope that one post be devoted to discussing the prospect of intervention by the judicial system.