Osteopathic student exposure... and for a good cause

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BklynWill

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http://www.pww.org/article/articleview/8879/1/316

Medical students rally for universal health care
People's Weekly World Newspaper, 04/06/06 12:42

CHICAGO — Wearing white coats and stethoscopes, and carrying signs and banners, medical students rallied in support for universal health care here March 31. The students were joined by health care consumers and elected officials at the Health Care Justice Rally.

AMSA President Leana Wen told the crowd of 500, “We see our patients choose between paying for food and paying for their medications. We know this is bad medicine, bad economics and bad policy.”

“The time is now,” she said, “to put patients ahead of corporate greed, to mobilize our forces as future doctors who advocate for our patients.”

Kao Ping-Chua, the AMSA Jack Rutledge Fellow for Universal Health Care, also spoke. “As future doctors of America, we have always worked to create a health care system that works for all Americans, not just those who can afford health care,” he said. “That is why medical students from around the country support the health care reform efforts in Illinois.”

Illinois First Lady Patricia Blagojevich, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and American Indian Health Service director Ken Scott were among the rally speakers.

Illinois is on the brink of providing far-reaching health care reforms, according to the rally organizers.

Signs that read “Everybody In, Nobody Out,” calling for the implementation of the state’s Health Care Justice Act, dotted the rally landscape. The Health Care Justice Act, signed into law by Gov. Rod Blagojevich in 2004, is to be implemented by 2007. The act would provide health care coverage for all the state’s residents — an unprecedented undertaking, according to health care policy experts. There are 1.8 million uninsured people in Illinois. A series of public meetings in each Illinois legislative district is taking place and a task force is set to present reform proposals to the Legislature, perhaps by August.

The rally coincided with the American Medical Student Association’s 56th Annual Convention. The students were insightful, optimistic and enthusiastic towards providing health care for all people.

Rosalie Defino, 18, a student at the University of Chicago, came to the rally with some of her classmates. “Health care is a right, not a privilege,” she told the World. “The only way to ensure its success is to make sure that everyone has access to quality health care.”

Smriti Mohan, 25, a third-year medical student at St. Louis University, said health care access should not be based on employment. “Universal health care is a real possibility that can be implemented, it’s not as difficult as the government wants us to believe,” she said.

Darla Severin, 28, who is a second year student at Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, emphasized that universal health care needs to include undocumented workers.

Dock Winston, 28, is a national coordinator for AMSA’s Minority Affairs Committee and a third-year New Jersey Medical School student interested in urology and psychiatry. He said outreach to minority communities is critical. “A lot of minorities are not aware about the issues” regarding universal health care, he said.

Amanda Michael, 24, a second-year student at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, is interested in family practice and infectious diseases. She said whole families, not just the children, need to have access to quality health care. “Too many people are struggling,” she said. The Illinois law “is a push in the right direction, it’s a big step for the future and for better health care for all.”

The Campaign for Better Health Care (CBHC), Illinois’ largest grassroots health care coalition, organized the rally with AMSA. Founded in 1989, the coalition is driven by the simple premise that health care is a right, not a privilege.

“Crushing health care costs threaten the health and financial security of every resident and every business in our state,” said Jim Duffett, executive director of CBHC. “There is consensus for real change. People all across the state must seize this opportunity to make their voices heard as they take part in one of the greatest endeavors in our state’s history.”
 
This is so refreshing :clap:
 
FYI, AMSA is the only medical student organization that is at every allopathic and osteopathic school in the nation. I made sure of that when I founded an club at the last standing osteopathic school without a chapter.

They are extremely receptive to DO students, and one most often doesn't even know who is an MD and who is a DO at AMSA functions.
 
Ya. At the conference AMSA scheduled a couple of DO student sessions and we taught OMT skills to roughly 40 curious MD students and pre-meds. It was fun 🙂
 
OSUdoc08 said:
FYI, AMSA is the only medical student organization that is at every allopathic and osteopathic school in the nation. I made sure of that when I founded an club at the last standing osteopathic school without a chapter.

They are extremely receptive to DO students, and one most often doesn't even know who is an MD and who is a DO at AMSA functions.

LECOM doesn't.
 
medhacker said:
This is so refreshing :clap:
Just curious, are you happy that there were quotes from DO students, or you liked the overall article?
 
Um, from what I grasp, I have to disagree with that bill. I've been working in an ER for awhile and have had this conversation with several doctors and nurses. What I've come to understand is that everyone in the US receives medical care (ER). We have regulars (people without insurance) that have bad debt in the thousands, but we have to keep seeing them. One guy I know has $250,000 in bad debt himself, but he keeps coming around every other week, and we have to admit him. Usually, he is just intoxicated, but the law says that we can't turn anyone away. For those people with bad debt, the hospital usually has to just write off the debt.

Secondly, I was talking to surgeon about this a few months ago. I was advocationg national healthcare for everyone, but he gave me a different perspective. In Europe, where they have national healthcare, people have to wait months for surgeries that you can get here in a matter of days because everyone and the grandmama are tying up doctors/surgeons with cases that aren't really necessary.

Anyways, who is gonna pay for this healthcare? Um, the people who hold jobs=increased taxes. I have for one don't like the idea of paying for the healthcare of people my age who don't want to work. Yes, I know medicaid is necessary for some people. But, I've seen too many people my age (some I know personally), that either quit their jobs, fake a disability, or whatever it takes to get on medicaid. The idea that I'm working many hours to help pay for those lazy people's healthcare is ridiculous. Moreover, the state government will be stuck with the bill for this healthcare. Most people in healthcare already know that the government is horrible about reimbursing for services. In the long run, you might wind up having over-worked doctors/nurses with more and more decreased compensation.

I know I sorta got away from the OP's point on this thread (my apologies), but I would like to see what others think about this. If my knowledge in this subject is insufficient, please enlighten me.
 
JohnUC33 said:
Secondly, I was talking to surgeon about this a few months ago. I was advocationg national healthcare for everyone, but he gave me a different perspective. In Europe, where they have national healthcare, people have to wait months for surgeries that you can get here in a matter of days because everyone and the grandmama are tying up doctors/surgeons with cases that aren't really necessary.

The situation with health care in Europe isn't as bad as people here make out.

The last time I was in Belfast I needed to see a dentist. I was able to see one the day after Christmas no problem and no charge.

On the same visit my brother ended up having some ear issues and the same day he went to see the GP he was sent to see a specialist.

When my grandfather got sick with cancer we figured since he was 88 that he'd just be given palative care. Instead he got treated aggressively with up to date care. He ended up in remission and was given all sorts of support including home visits from his doctor.


Consistently my experience with socialized medicine has been top notch. Much better than the struggle I had getting health care that I could afford when I haven't had health insurance.
 
Megalofyia said:
The situation with health care in Europe isn't as bad as people here make out.

The last time I was in Belfast I needed to see a dentist. I was able to see one the day after Christmas no problem and no charge.

On the same visit my brother ended up having some ear issues and the same day he went to see the GP he was sent to see a specialist.

When my grandfather got sick with cancer we figured since he was 88 that he'd just be given palative care. Instead he got treated aggressively with up to date care. He ended up in remission and was given all sorts of support including home visits from his doctor.
Consistently my experience with socialized medicine has been top notch. Much better than the struggle I had getting health care that I could afford when I haven't had health insurance.

I'm glad you had a positive experience with the European system. However, I've spoken to people who have had more significant trouble, particularly in regards to wait times for technical procedures. I suppose we have to look at the average wait times across the board for non-elective surgeries.

Here is an article from a no-name journal, but medline is going a little haywire on me right now, so if someone could step forward with a better article that'd be great:
--------------------
Unique Identifier 16311488

Authors Chamberlain LJ. Hughes DC. Bishop JS. Matsuda DH. Sassoubre L.

Institution Division of General Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, USA. [email protected]

Title Universal health care coverage for children: impact on pediatric health care providers.

Source Journal of Health Care for the Poor & Underserved. 16(4):622-33, 2005 Nov.

Abstract A Northern California county expanded health coverage to cover nearly all children in the state through a new insurance program. In two years, 75,500 children entered a health care system near capacity. We hypothesized that the influx of thousands of previously uninsured children into the health system would affect providers in many ways. This cross-sectional study sought to investigate how this influx affected provider practices, job satisfaction, access to specialists, and overarching views about the program. Qualitative analyses of expert interviews were performed. Providers reported improved access to health care, specialists, and medications for patients. They cited increased job satisfaction for providers due to fewer limits on care, improved referral process, and decreased patient family financial stress. Providers noted the persistence of long appointment wait times for specialist care. After moving to near universal coverage, safety net providers described increased job satisfaction. Because this study examined safety-net providers, future research requires a more representative sample of providers.
 
There was a great osteopathic showing at this year's AMSA conference. I actually "led the charge" of the above rally holding the AMSA banner with AMSA President Leana Wen.

"Everybody in, nobody out!" 😀
 
(nicedream) said:
LECOM doesn't.

If you are talking about the Florida campus, then it doesn't count since it opened after I started it.
 
OSUdoc08 said:
If you are talking about the Florida campus, then it doesn't count since it opened after I started it.


Aren't you a second year? How'd you open it before school started? There are second years at LECOM in Florida.
 
FS-Pro said:
Just curious, are you happy that there were quotes from DO students, or you liked the overall article?

Both 🙂
 
BklynWill said:
http://www.pww.org/article/articleview/8879/1/316

“Crushing health care costs threaten the health and financial security of every resident and every business in our state,” said Jim Duffett, executive director of CBHC. “There is consensus for real change. People all across the state must seize this opportunity to make their voices heard as they take part in one of the greatest endeavors in our state’s history.”

Fun times. Thanks again for fixing my back.
 
JohnUC33 said:
Um, from what I grasp, I have to disagree with that bill. I've been working in an ER for awhile and have had this conversation with several doctors and nurses. What I've come to understand is that everyone in the US receives medical care (ER). We have regulars (people without insurance) that have bad debt in the thousands, but we have to keep seeing them. One guy I know has $250,000 in bad debt himself, but he keeps coming around every other week, and we have to admit him. Usually, he is just intoxicated, but the law says that we can't turn anyone away. For those people with bad debt, the hospital usually has to just write off the debt.

Secondly, I was talking to surgeon about this a few months ago. I was advocationg national healthcare for everyone, but he gave me a different perspective. In Europe, where they have national healthcare, people have to wait months for surgeries that you can get here in a matter of days because everyone and the grandmama are tying up doctors/surgeons with cases that aren't really necessary.

Anyways, who is gonna pay for this healthcare? Um, the people who hold jobs=increased taxes. I have for one don't like the idea of paying for the healthcare of people my age who don't want to work. Yes, I know medicaid is necessary for some people. But, I've seen too many people my age (some I know personally), that either quit their jobs, fake a disability, or whatever it takes to get on medicaid. The idea that I'm working many hours to help pay for those lazy people's healthcare is ridiculous. Moreover, the state government will be stuck with the bill for this healthcare. Most people in healthcare already know that the government is horrible about reimbursing for services. In the long run, you might wind up having over-worked doctors/nurses with more and more decreased compensation.

I know I sorta got away from the OP's point on this thread (my apologies), but I would like to see what others think about this. If my knowledge in this subject is insufficient, please enlighten me.

See, now that is the thing. Somebody has to absorb the cost--the hospital and if it is a state hospital--it is the state. Perhaps if universal hc (healthcare) came about healthcare costs would lower. I was talking to a neurologist who is originally from Europe and he said that there was some type of statistical analysis--cost comparison with the US hc and Canadian hc. According to him (referring to the article), overhead costs would be significantly lessen, to the point where not only would patient be provided with medical care, but the physician could also pocket more money to pay his or her loans back.
 
Luba Licious said:
Aren't you a second year? How'd you open it before school started? There are second years at LECOM in Florida.

Correct, I opened it before I was a student there. When they called and asked if I would be interested, they were under the impression that I was already in school there, since I had put the school down when I rejoined AMSA my senior year of college (I was accepted in the fall of my senior year.)
 
JohnUC33 said:
Um, from what I grasp, I have to disagree with that bill. I've been working in an ER for awhile and have had this conversation with several doctors and nurses. What I've come to understand is that everyone in the US receives medical care (ER). We have regulars (people without insurance) that have bad debt in the thousands, but we have to keep seeing them. One guy I know has $250,000 in bad debt himself, but he keeps coming around every other week, and we have to admit him. Usually, he is just intoxicated, but the law says that we can't turn anyone away. For those people with bad debt, the hospital usually has to just write off the debt.

Secondly, I was talking to surgeon about this a few months ago. I was advocationg national healthcare for everyone, but he gave me a different perspective. In Europe, where they have national healthcare, people have to wait months for surgeries that you can get here in a matter of days because everyone and the grandmama are tying up doctors/surgeons with cases that aren't really necessary.

Anyways, who is gonna pay for this healthcare? Um, the people who hold jobs=increased taxes. I have for one don't like the idea of paying for the healthcare of people my age who don't want to work. Yes, I know medicaid is necessary for some people. But, I've seen too many people my age (some I know personally), that either quit their jobs, fake a disability, or whatever it takes to get on medicaid. The idea that I'm working many hours to help pay for those lazy people's healthcare is ridiculous. Moreover, the state government will be stuck with the bill for this healthcare. Most people in healthcare already know that the government is horrible about reimbursing for services. In the long run, you might wind up having over-worked doctors/nurses with more and more decreased compensation.

I know I sorta got away from the OP's point on this thread (my apologies), but I would like to see what others think about this. If my knowledge in this subject is insufficient, please enlighten me.
Couldn't have said it any better!! 👍
 
Raven Feather said:
See, now that is the thing. Somebody has to absorb the cost--the hospital and if it is a state hospital--it is the state. Perhaps if universal hc (healthcare) came about healthcare costs would lower. I was talking to a neurologist who is originally from Europe and he said that there was some type of statistical analysis--cost comparison with the US hc and Canadian hc. According to him (referring to the article), overhead costs would be significantly lessen, to the point where not only would patient be provided with medical care, but the physician could also pocket more money to pay his or her loans back.

Not to start a flame war, but I still have a somewhat problem with what that neurologist said. True, the healthcare costs would lower. But with universal healthcare, everyone and their mama would be "getting sick" thus maybe tripling the number of cases to be reimbursed. No matter how it works, I still can't see the government not taxing us working-class people to death make this program work. Like I've already said, I've already seen so many abuses of medicaid/medicare in my few months of working in a hospital. I can only imagine how abuses their will be with universal healthcare system.
 
JohnUC33 said:
Not to start a flame war, but I still have a somewhat problem with what that neurologist said. True, the healthcare costs would lower. But with universal healthcare, everyone and their mama would be "getting sick" thus maybe tripling the number of cases to be reimbursed. No matter how it works, I still can't see the government not taxing us working-class people to death make this program work. Like I've already said, I've already seen so many abuses of medicaid/medicare in my few months of working in a hospital. I can only imagine how abuses their will be with universal healthcare system.

Point taken, I would never flame you for a difference of opinion. 😉
 
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