Clearing the Air
First, I want to address the response to my previous blog regarding the Union Pacific decision. I make no apologies for either my politics or my opinions. I want this blog to be mainly about questions arising from the office practice of medicine, but I also feel it's fair and appropriate to discuss medical issues of the day.
I enjoy reading the opinions of my fellow professionals, and I would hope that you would all accord me the same respect that I give you. If you disagree, please leave a comment and tell me why, but not in a mean or insulting tone. I consider myself lucky to have such thoughtful people at my disposal. Believe me when I say that I know I'm not always right, and that a day doesn't go by when I don't learn (and feel humbled by) something new.
For example, in the case of the post where I considered telling a doctor colleague he was behaving in an unhealthy manner, I was reprimanded by many readers who felt I was totally crossing a line. In the end, I knew they were right. Another time a reader accused me of malpractice for the poor way I had treated a frequent patient who was a chronic complainer. While I would argue that the quality of this patient's care wasn't compromised, I cannot argue with the fact that the spirit of care was violated.
I want to be better at what I do, and this blog--and all of you, by extension--has helped me to do just that. Thank you.
Just a quick note from this article which speculates that Baby Boomers are less healthy than their middle-aged predecessors:
"Significantly, fewer such middle-aged people in 2004 than in 1992 rated their health highly. More of them rated pain as a regular problem. And a higher percentage had trouble climbing stairs or walking a few blocks."
The study was far from official, and some speculate that Boomers are just more cognizant of health issues than previous generations, so the statistics could just reflect a greater awareness. I tend to think that's probably true. America is a funny country. On the one hand, healthy lifestyles have never been so promoted to the general culture, and yet on the other, we face rampant obesity and the attendant health problems therein.
As always, I wonder what do you think?
posted by Anne @ 9:29 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
you are absolutely right. Bloggers can agree or disagree without being personal or mean spirited. I disagree with you on some topics and agree on others, but I hope my comments speak to the subject matter only, not personalities. Birth control isn't political, it's medical issue and should be a covered service by all employer driven insurance plans.
While not a physician, I spent a number of years as a social worker and crisis counselor. I have spent the last 20+ as a professor. I disagree with those who reprimanded you for considering talking to a colleague about his unhealthy behavior. I have learned, especially as a social worker, there is little or no help for the help givers. Colleagues need to help each other see when they are in need of assistance. Ignoring their problems will not make them go away. Rather, they will suffer burnout, physical illness, and potential make serious mistakes that, in the case of physicians, could be life or death.
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