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Are there some hospitals or private practices that do not emply DOs at all? Is this discrimination? Do you know of any hospitals in NY that do not hire DOs?
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I think it would be discrimination if they flat out said no DOs.
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Most physicians who work in hospitals are not direct employees of the hospitals. They are part of a group practice that have contracts to work in the hospital (like independant contractors). Now to get hospital priviledges, the hospital will have to credential you. This usually involves a review committee that looks at various aspects of your profile (board certification in appropriate areas, malpractice issues, state licensure, etc). So hospitals don't decide who to hire or fire per se. (this issue is very complicated and it is way beyond the scope of this post and involves lots of exceptions such as hospitalists and intensivists, etc.)
OK, now that we established that hospitals don't "hire" docs, the next issue is gaining hospital priviledges. There were discrimination against DOs in the mid-20th century by lots of hospitals ... leading to the openning of osteopathic hospitals (refer to "The DO" by Norman Gevitz for more information). However, lately within the last 30 years, the AOA has successed legislatively and legally in preventing any hospital that receives federal money (such as Medicare) to discriminate against DOs. Nowadays, most hospitals will credential DOs who meet whatever requirements the hospitals set. There are a few who may not recognize osteopathic certification (such as American Osteopathic Board of Surgery instead of ABS). If a hospital does not recognize the osteopathic board (and accepts any federal funding), the AOA has (in recent past) help physicians with legal funding to gain hospital priviledges (successfully).
Also, hospitals try their best to "woo" physicians (DOs or MDs) because physicians bring in patients to hospitals and hospitals need patients in order to survive (esp in a competitive environment). This is especially true for primary care providers (and last I check, there are lots of DOs in primary care).
Long answer but I hope I clarify some misunderstandings
OK, now that we established that hospitals don't "hire" docs, the next issue is gaining hospital priviledges. There were discrimination against DOs in the mid-20th century by lots of hospitals ... leading to the openning of osteopathic hospitals (refer to "The DO" by Norman Gevitz for more information). However, lately within the last 30 years, the AOA has successed legislatively and legally in preventing any hospital that receives federal money (such as Medicare) to discriminate against DOs. Nowadays, most hospitals will credential DOs who meet whatever requirements the hospitals set. There are a few who may not recognize osteopathic certification (such as American Osteopathic Board of Surgery instead of ABS). If a hospital does not recognize the osteopathic board (and accepts any federal funding), the AOA has (in recent past) help physicians with legal funding to gain hospital priviledges (successfully).
Also, hospitals try their best to "woo" physicians (DOs or MDs) because physicians bring in patients to hospitals and hospitals need patients in order to survive (esp in a competitive environment). This is especially true for primary care providers (and last I check, there are lots of DOs in primary care).
Long answer but I hope I clarify some misunderstandings
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If I understand correctly, a purely private hospital could choose to do that. I can think of many ways they'd be putting themselves at a disadvantage, but they could do it.
But how many hospitals are really, truly private? I mean - how many take absolutely NO ($0) public funding in the form of grants, Medicare, Medicaid, etc?
If you are a hospital that accepts Medicare patients you accept certain obligations, and that would include giving DOs the same opportunity to have hospital privileges as an MD.
But how many hospitals are really, truly private? I mean - how many take absolutely NO ($0) public funding in the form of grants, Medicare, Medicaid, etc?
If you are a hospital that accepts Medicare patients you accept certain obligations, and that would include giving DOs the same opportunity to have hospital privileges as an MD.
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I don't think it would be discrimination. Different accreditation body, different boards, "different" education. While I don't agree with it, I think a good lawyer could make a case for any defendant in a discrimination lawsuit.
A hospital could easily loophole it and avoid any lawsuits anyways, by requiring all graduates have come from an AMA school, done all green book rotations, or a LCGME/ACGME residency, or a combination of these. (I may not have all my acronyms correct)
A hospital could easily loophole it and avoid any lawsuits anyways, by requiring all graduates have come from an AMA school, done all green book rotations, or a LCGME/ACGME residency, or a combination of these. (I may not have all my acronyms correct)
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If a DO completed an allopathic residency would they be on par with an MD for hospital certification? Since doctors are contracted by hospitals, can a group practice not hire a DO because they are a DO?
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stookie said:
Someone posted a job ad on here one time for a practice that specifically stated, "No DO and no IMG".
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In areas where there maybe be minimal amounts of DO's (read: no osteopathic schools) I have heard of hospitals without DO's but I haven't come across a hospital by choice. I'm sure it could happen but with NY I wouldn't worry too much. I believe with NYCOM, UMDNJ, UNECOM, LECOM and PCOM all within 5 hours there wouldn't much discrimation with DO's (or at least I should clarify and say I hope). From what I've heard from practicing DO's there isn't any.
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mshheaddoc said:
I worked at both Columbia and COrnell and don't think I ever saw or heard of a D.O. there. Mount Sinai employs quite a few of them as does St. Vincent's. Let the people on this board tell you there is no difference (which may well be true in principle), but I do believe those two hospitals do NOT employ DO's. The Cornell part was additionally confirmed for me by an MD friend of mine who works there.
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****, i had my response typed out and then I got logged out.Ifellinapothole said:
Go check the columbia presbyterian site ... there are DO's listed there. Additionally columbia and cornell share some hospitals. If your friend at Cornell was referring to Weil, he may be right (they don't break it out in a list with MD/DO) but that doesn't refer to all their hospitals.
Just b/c you worked there doesn't mean you know all the doctors there.
Here's a list someone posted of NYCOM's 2004 match list: I'm too lazy to bold them, but I'm sure you'll see hospitals you recognize
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I have only heard of one occasion in my research. A hospital was posting an ad for an ER doc and stated in the ad "DO's need not apply". I believe that this is discrimination, but it will depend on which side has a better lawyer in the ruling. There are loopholes to win on each side.
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legally, it really isn't discrimination if a hosptial doesn't want to hire a d.o. That's like saying it's discriminaion if an ibanking firm only hires ivy graduates. They choose who they want to hire and have their own criteria.
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LTrain1 said:
Those firms are entirely private. I think the fact that most hospitals receive public funds makes it a more complicated issue.
