It troubles me greatly to hear of the most recent mergers in the healthcare industry that include several insurance companies which pay their Os millions, much like the banking industry. Which, if you think about it is one and the same since the whole house of cards is built on Wall Street. Yeah, the very same ones who raped us after the financial meltdown. Nobody...not a sports figure or a politician or actor or ANYNODY is worth that kind of money. As a society we have gobbled up the media frenzy that comes with branding and that includes healthcare. Hide and watch how many times there's free lunch from the pharmacy reps. Ahem, with a sign in sheet of course. And a power point presentation. Anyone who has diddled with Verizon v ATT knows that big can be good if you provide good service. We're funny about that with our "devices." Yet we get the care we get from providers who do so, for the most part, because they want to help people not to get rich.
My employment began at a county owned facility in 1977 following graduation from UTCHS allied health with a BS in Medical Technology. Dr Jimmy Noonan was the one who recommended me for admission and my interview was with none other than the ultra smart party girl Brenta Davis. She was all up in national politics getting us more certification and respect. I made the top score on comps and she called to tell me that which was totally surprising 'cuz I didn't study much except for class and late nights. I can tell you right now that the pharmacy bunch was party central. Med students played pretty hard too. Mostly I think lab folks were all scientific and a bit overwhelmed except for Gaylon our president. Marvin Wagster was our favorite instructor and he went on to bigger and different things in Nashvegas.
In 38 years, the entire picture has changed. We have gone full circle from having house calls to being lucky if you're awake when the hospitalist shows up. The staff is underpaid and overworked. I noticed today that it was quieter than usual and had a sigh of relief over that. Daddy's surgeon showed up when I was headed to pick up lunch and we talked about a probable two week stay at the manor then surgery again. Mom is doing well and even has a lilt in her little precious southern voice. All is well on Samaria Bend.
Healing is an art and a gift not a commodity to be bought and sold like grain futures. It may be too late for anybody to change things but I'm not going down without a fight. Most diseases can be attributed to unhealthy lifestyles perpetuated by an insane desire for more. I've been there with food and a lot of other things. Two solid years of therapy and a lot of mistakes later, I still try to think outside the box. Can I help it? Sure...I could be obedient to authority and I will when forced to. But don't ever ask me to go above and beyond that line.
I was the mom who typed everybody's blood in BG's 4th grade class. That's when we knew she was A neg and would need the shot. If I'm not mistaken my younger brother was a weather man at the time and he brought his boss for a big hoorah with her class. Miss Linda had them all dressed up and I think she was a cloud or something. I do believe Peggy Jane was in in too...and Allison? I interviewed with a local high school a few years ago for the task of preparing students for healthcare careers. The pay wasn't good enough to justify the change, but I felt honored to have gotten the phone call. If we do not speak up now about the crisis in caregiving, pretty soon we'll be seeing Zombies and Hunger Games. While far from an alarmist, when I see the deer for a second time early morning, I pay attention.
^j^
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