The contentious issue of doctors and their moneyIt’s highly regarded considering that it has been supported by both the American college of Physicians and the American academy of family physicians. The facility offers patient care that is team-based. The physicians are assisted by a nurses and care managers. The model would greatly benefit a larger population were it to be implemented outside the wall of The Patient centered medical home. It would also save money, see more patients get better quickly and save doctors from the service payment system.

What the media is saying

The process of achieving such a wonderful model is however proving to be strenuous and difficult. There is a detailed documentation in Wall street journal about how one practice attempted to make the transition. Sadly enough, the cost for such a change in this economic turmoil is unbelievably high. This is quite evident as the incentive to bring about the change barely meets the cost. The journal indicated that

The total for the 1st year alone would be around $126k – $346k for 5 doctors who will be accompanied by utmost, 2 nurses. The doctors are trying to work a way to implement the project so that it coincides with their reimbursement scheme. Glen Stream, president of American Academy of Family Physicians, say that “You are asking a practice that may be only marginally viable as a business to invest in significant infrastructure. Is the payment model going to be there to support that?”

The other side of the story

Aaron Carroll, an expert on this case, isn’t amused with this piece as he’s of the school of thought that doctors of all people shouldn’t be whining about money especially during this recession-recovering economy. He claims to cringe each time he spots a piece in the media about how doctors complain about money.

He points out to the fact that media fails to highlight the point where the medical institutions suffer as a result of paying the doctors six-figure salaries. There is a notion around that a majority of doctors fully deserve large sums of cash as payments. It’s without a doubt their due right seeing that the cost of educating them is equally high if not more, plus they had to undergo intense training. Still, this doesn’t give them the right to complain if their current six-figure salary is lowered to a slightly low six-figure salary. They most definitely don’t reserve the right to complain that they can’t make ends meet with such figures in their paycheck. What will average workers in farm complain about then if Doctors with that huge salary aren’t meeting any of life’s financial demands?

It’s obvious that no ear will accommodate such talk, especially that of the public. This is because basically everybody perceives doctors to be filthy rich professionals who drive lavish cars and spent most of their free time at golf clubs.

The truth of the matter in all honesty is that the public as a whole should be exposed to the real-world financial decisions. The doctor’s stories should also be given audience even though people term it as a ‘sob story.’ This in reality is the best way to demystify the truth about doctors and their riches because sadly enough, stating that all of them are rich is in all honestly a kick in the jaw.