Doctors paying price for exercising a right

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Sun, Nov. 16, 2003

By Monica Yant Kinney

Inquirer Columnist

Michael Falk hadn't put on his protest shoes since college.

But in February, the 35-year-old Marlton pediatrician dutifully followed professional marching orders and closed his practice for a day to highlight the mounting medical-malpractice crisis.

Falk felt guilty for stranding his pint-size patients but knew there was no other way to quickly educate their parents about the problem.

Still, he had a sense that the strike wouldn't begin to solve it.

"This is going to have to hurt a little to get better," he told me as we sat in his silent, kid-free office that day.

"And it's going to get worse before it gets better."

Fast forward nine months.

To hear legislators crow, doctors should get ready to embrace the pain.

Full story:

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/columnists/monica_yant_kinney/7270801.htm

[oramar]

All political games can get nasty but I head Philly political games are particularly nasty. Would it not make more sense for those elected to try and find out why these MDs were so motivated to lash out and address the problem? These same politician are sitting on the edge of a doctor shortage in the next few years. Why wait till their constituents are beating their doors down about that? That makes to much sense does it not, that is not how they operate.

[Geeg]

Unfortunately, Americans, by and large, believe in expensive dramatic cures, not in practical, low cost, prevention!!