> Should I spend 1 hour explaining to every fucker with a headache why a CT head is more likely to cause brain cancer than it is to diagnose it?
Absolutely you should. Because the beauty and the curse of the American health system is that patients can and do find other doctors willing to perform meaningless tests (as the article points out: because these tests are lucrative). If CT scans are more likely to cause a brain cancer, shouldn't the patient be informed?
> The solution to the US healthcare woes is NOT more patient autonomy and decision making.
No, more patient autonomy and decision making is happening regardless of whether it is a solution or a problem for the health care system. Medical professionals need to accept that patients are more informed than ever, and work with that fact instead of against it.
Imagine if the software industry had the same attitude (saying this with tongue firmly implanted in cheek).
Absolutely you should. Because the beauty and the curse of the American health system is that patients can and do find other doctors willing to perform meaningless tests (as the article points out: because these tests are lucrative). If CT scans are more likely to cause a brain cancer, shouldn't the patient be informed?
> The solution to the US healthcare woes is NOT more patient autonomy and decision making.
No, more patient autonomy and decision making is happening regardless of whether it is a solution or a problem for the health care system. Medical professionals need to accept that patients are more informed than ever, and work with that fact instead of against it.
Imagine if the software industry had the same attitude (saying this with tongue firmly implanted in cheek).