Compassion? Nah...just lower your expectations

To all of my loyal readers (I think were up to nearly half dozen by now!), it is now surprise that I can be a bit critical of health care...and I am using "care" in the loosest sense of the word. Why?

Well, for starters, as a pharmacist that seems a bit like biting the hand that feeds me. Furthermore, some of my closest friends are physicians, and very good ones at that! I like them and I think they like me, even though eventually, will pull the "doctor card!" Could it be a subtle hint of their constant belief of an inherent superior position?

So today, as you would guess, I am feeling a little cynical. It is my opinion that most doctors don't care much anymore!! Our "tank" of medical compassion is almost empty. And to add insult to injury, my own family members have included me with the ranks of these healers. They have even branded their father and husband as compassionless. I represent what they hate about medicine. Ouch!


Now, before you cry 'What a cynic!" let me explain. Although cynics create little and answer less , I have a simple if not twisted solution: If you feel like you got slighted last visit by your doctor, next time just your lower your expectations. Simple! Although that sounds harsh, it is relatively easy. You expect too much from Dr. Marcus Welby and Dr. Welby can't fix everything that's ailin' ya. He or she might not even have the interpesonal or business skills to communicate that. I have watched my youngest daughter suffer for years. I have seen the disappointment in her eyes so many times when she needed an answer or some compassion and was dismissed in the name of efficiency. It has been painful to watch.

We must understand the limitations of medicine, both on a science and human level. The same obnoxious guy that messed up the curve in your high school chemistry class is now that frazzled doctor that really deserves a knuckle sandwich, stat! I once yanked a friend' s chain about the "jerk" factor. I wanted to know if that attitude was taught in medical school. His answer was ,"Nah...not taught...just reinforced!"

Please...take as directed,
Blake

"Blow this Whistle!!"

Lately, there has been much in the "pharmaceutical" press regarding corporate "whistleblowers." As a quick review, these are health fraud lawsuits brought forward by ex-company pharmaceutical reps. In fact, several of my old colleauges and friends that I worked with at Eli Lilly and Company are now multi-millionaires because of this very lucrative process. Each snatched a cool 10 million and laughed all the way to the bank. It certainly was much more than I ever made selling Zyprexa and I am not laughing anymore. Why didn't I think of this "bonus" program before being "involuntarily terminated!" Hey guys, give me a call next time around!

So here is a re-enactment of how this usually goes down. The whistleblower is often a long term employee of the pharmaceutical company. Chances are, he or she is top in sales performance and usually trying to do the right thing. However, he becomes "pinched", by an obnoxious district sales manager, backed by a foolish sales/marketing team in the spirit of optimal sales performance. All parties know the score. Drug promotion is based on FDA guidelines of "on label" prescribing (i.e., drugs used only where indicated). The representative is paid to sell "on label," but resents the ole' "wink and nod" surrounding "off label" discussions. The moral compass is checked and the rep to whistleblower transformation is complete! It is classic David and Goliath stuff. Of course, you know how the story ends. The representative quits in disgust and hires a wiley corporate law firm. Years later, we here of big pharma being fined in epic proportions over the fiasco, the former drug salesman is now a millionaire, along with his attorney buddies. Just google: Pfizer, Whistleblower.

So...as interesting or true as this all might be, you ask: What is your point? My point is simply, get energized and start blowing your own whistle at your very own health care game. There is plenty to go around. Here are a half-dozen examples:

1. Blow the whistle when your physician talks more than listens.
2. Blow the whistle when your physician treats lab tests and not you.
3. Blow the whistle when your physician dismisses your intuition. Moms are you listening?
4. Blow the whistle when your physician can't think "out of the box."
5. Blow the whistle when you hear, "Oh, we have always done it that way"
6. Finally, blow the whistle loudest when you see that patient in front of you, on the cell phone, at my pharmacy's pick-up window

...take as directed,
Blake