An interesting question posed in interviews

[openstage]

---

Members do not see this ad.

In preparation for interviews this fall I've been asked this question: What role should doctors play in health care reform? Now I've read a few articles and seen opinions all over the map, but still feel a bit lost. What do you think about this topic in response to that question? Are there pitfalls for being too political in your answer? Can medical professionals actually steer the national debate in a meaningful way? Do hospitals, HMO's and companies have strict protocols in terms of activism?

Thank you.

 

[LizzyM]

Doctors are a pretty broad group. There are primary care docs, specialists, those practicing in rural areas and those in cities and suburbs. There are those who accept Medicare and Medicaid and those that are concierge with an annual fee to be a patient in the practice.

Should doctors exercise the right to vote? Should they speak to or write to their elected representatives? Should they comment in writing or in person when proposed rules are published by US Department of Health and Human Services or by agencies? Should they write letters to the editor or opinion pieces for publication in the newspaper? Should they contribute through social media accounts? Should they band together, elect a spokesperson, vote on policy positions, hire a lobbiest and make their collective voice heard on issues of policy? Should doctors run for public office or take jobs in government administration?

Should doctors, plural, and you, as an individual doctor, engage in any of the above to promote health care reform? Should an employer draw the line in terms of an employee's involvement in the political process?

 

[Kardio]

Are there pitfalls for being too political in your answer?

Don’t be a zealot and show that you understand that there are multiple reasonable perspectives on a given issue.

Can medical professionals actually steer the national debate in a meaningful way?

Yeah

 

[RNthenDoc]

Or doctors can sit on their haunches and not be activists, content to make a decent salary and then retire while their practices erode from hyper-political Nurse Practitioner action groups expanding practice rights for non-physician clinicians.
😉

 

[ChemEMeddie]

Or doctors can sit on their haunches and not be activists, content to make a decent salary and then retire while their practices erode from hyper-political Nurse Practitioner action groups expanding practice rights for non-physician clinicians.
😉

This is something that I'm shocked more physicians are not pushing back harder on. It seems like they're either willingly or forcibly sitting by and letting their jobs get taken over. I understand your background being a RN first and I respect that you are able to have the vision to see that things are kind of in a very wonky position these days.

 

[Kardio]

Or doctors can sit on their haunches and not be activists, content to make a decent salary and then retire while their practices erode from hyper-political Nurse Practitioner action groups expanding practice rights for non-physician clinicians.
😉

Yeah, but did you know naturopaths can write prescriptions in some states? That really should have been a layup for the AMA.

 

[Cornfed101]

This is something that I'm shocked more physicians are not pushing back harder on. It seems like they're either willingly or forcibly sitting by and letting their jobs get taken over. I understand your background being a RN first and I respect that you are able to have the vision to see that things are kind of in a very wonky position these days.

Unfortunately, I think most doctors:

1. Are too busy to deal with politics
2. Feel that their job isn't immediately in danger (which it isn't)

 

[Wolvvs]

I think healthcare professionals should play a stronger role in healthcare reform discussions than they currently do. I work in healthcare administration in a relatively progressive state and even here clinicians focus on their particular areas of expertise (pharmacy, utilization, quality etc) but are somewhat isolated from the business/operations/policy side of things and occupy a minority position in strategy decisions.

I think the idea that doctors and other healthcare professionals should contribute to healthcare reform debates is not inherently political, as doctors come from all sides of the political spectrum and it's not a given that any one doctor would or would not support policy change. It's probably best to avoid politically or otherwise charged topics, the MD vs NP scope of practice topic is absolutely worthy of discussion but not during your medical school interview.

 

[openstage]

I wonder if a part of the role doctors should play is educational. Helping lawmakers and think tanks to understand how policy currently and potentially can affect care.

 

[and 99 others]

I would love to know what school asked this, OP, as I think about this question a lot.

 

[openstage]

Came up in mock interviews. Actual ones are later.