Philosophy Discussion Forums | A Humans-Only Club for Open-Minded Discussion & Debate

[mary55]

Great read
I found this book to be both informative and easy to understand. Our healthcare system is broken and needs to be more like when Barbara’s dad first started his practice than what it has become. I no longer feel like a person when I go to the doctor, it more like a number in a computer.

[Sushan]

Barbara's dad used to be a doctor in a different era, with a different level of technology, and even different people. From that era to today, many things have been changed. It is not only the doctors that have changed, but also the patients. Their expectations have changed. All of us are in a busy world having busy lives. So there is no enough time to chat with a person and develop relationships. Those days family practitioners used to talk a lot with patients and even the patients were used to go their to just have a chat. But today neither of the parties can do that. And that is why a person does not feel as a human but as a number in front of a doctor, and a doctor does not see the patient as a human but as a set of illnesses to be taken care of. It is nothing more than a business.

[LuckyR]

Barbara's dad used to be a doctor in a different era, with a different level of technology, and even different people. From that era to today, many things have been changed. It is not only the doctors that have changed, but also the patients. Their expectations have changed. All of us are in a busy world having busy lives. So there is no enough time to chat with a person and develop relationships. Those days family practitioners used to talk a lot with patients and even the patients were used to go their to just have a chat. But today neither of the parties can do that. And that is why a person does not feel as a human but as a number in front of a doctor, and a doctor does not see the patient as a human but as a set of illnesses to be taken care of. It is nothing more than a business.

Really? So the doc who hands you your newborn is engaging in a business transaction? Folks like to complain about the field of medicine, but those same people tend to like their personal doctor significantly more than other professionals they deal with.

[crainchristy30]

I completely agree! Hopefully this will start some dialogue and assist with changing the healthcare industry towards the right direction

[Eckhart Aurelius Hughes]

Barbara's dad used to be a doctor in a different era, with a different level of technology, and even different people. From that era to today, many things have been changed. It is not only the doctors that have changed, but also the patients. Their expectations have changed. All of us are in a busy world having busy lives. So there is no enough time to chat with a person and develop relationships. Those days family practitioners used to talk a lot with patients and even the patients were used to go their to just have a chat. But today neither of the parties can do that. And that is why a person does not feel as a human but as a number in front of a doctor, and a doctor does not see the patient as a human but as a set of illnesses to be taken care of. It is nothing more than a business.

Really? So the doc who hands you your newborn is engaging in a business transaction? Folks like to complain about the field of medicine, but those same people tend to like their personal doctor significantly more than other professionals they deal with.

When my kids were born, the doctor didn't stay in the room long enough to hand me (or the mom) the baby. He was in and out within about 5-10 minutes, if my memory serves correctly. The nurses didn't even try to get him until I could already my son's hairy head popping out.

I have a similar experience typically when I go to the dentist office. I might be there for about an hour, but the actual dentist (the one with a "Dr." before their name) is typically in the room for literally about 2 minutes. Generally, those 2 minutes are very near the end of my appointment, and many times they are the first time I am seeing or meeting that particular dentist ever, so whether or not I personally happen to like that particular dentist as a person personally more than the paid barber I use, or the guy who mows my lawn for money, or the paid teachers who teach my kids is a figurative roll of the die.

I certainly don't get the impression the dentist or other doctor would service me if he wasn't being paid, neither directly nor vicariously though the other paid staff at the office. It's clearly a business transaction--much like getting my lawn mowed by a paid lawn mowing guy, my kids educated at school by paid teachers in a big costly building, and getting my hair cut. However, for me, that's not a complaint.

I tend to be a down to business guy too, so actually I generally tend to like the dentists and other service providers (e.g. hair cutters) who are more efficient, professional, and less into the small talk and whatnot. In the case of doctors (e.g. dentists), by the time I find out if it's my kind of person (e.g. little to no small talk), it's too late, the job is done.

[Jona00baka]

Barbara's dad used to be a doctor in a different era, with a different level of technology, and even different people. From that era to today, many things have been changed. It is not only the doctors that have changed, but also the patients. Their expectations have changed. All of us are in a busy world having busy lives. So there is no enough time to chat with a person and develop relationships. Those days family practitioners used to talk a lot with patients and even the patients were used to go their to just have a chat. But today neither of the parties can do that. And that is why a person does not feel as a human but as a number in front of a doctor, and a doctor does not see the patient as a human but as a set of illnesses to be taken care of. It is nothing more than a business.

A service from a person who talks less feels like forcing matters. Healthcare services need interactive people to atleast cheer the client up. It gives hope though such may sometimes not be seen externally. Time is created for every activity.

I would enjoy service from the person who atleast make time to have a chat. Even though the world changed but I think interaction is never affected so long as the client finds favor in the sight of the service provider.

[LuckyR]

Barbara's dad used to be a doctor in a different era, with a different level of technology, and even different people. From that era to today, many things have been changed. It is not only the doctors that have changed, but also the patients. Their expectations have changed. All of us are in a busy world having busy lives. So there is no enough time to chat with a person and develop relationships. Those days family practitioners used to talk a lot with patients and even the patients were used to go their to just have a chat. But today neither of the parties can do that. And that is why a person does not feel as a human but as a number in front of a doctor, and a doctor does not see the patient as a human but as a set of illnesses to be taken care of. It is nothing more than a business.

Really? So the doc who hands you your newborn is engaging in a business transaction? Folks like to complain about the field of medicine, but those same people tend to like their personal doctor significantly more than other professionals they deal with.

When my kids were born, the doctor didn't stay in the room long enough to hand me (or the mom) the baby. He was in and out within about 5-10 minutes, if my memory serves correctly. The nurses didn't even try to get him until I could already my son's hairy head popping out.

I have a similar experience typically when I go to the dentist office. I might be there for about an hour, but the actual dentist (the one with a "Dr." before their name) is typically in the room for literally about 2 minutes. Generally, those 2 minutes are very near the end of my appointment, and many times they are the first time I am seeing or meeting that particular dentist ever, so whether or not I personally happen to like that particular dentist as a person personally more than the paid barber I use, or the guy who mows my lawn for money, or the paid teachers who teach my kids is a figurative roll of the die.

I certainly don't get the impression the dentist or other doctor would service me if he wasn't being paid, neither directly nor vicariously though the other paid staff at the office. It's clearly a business transaction--much like getting my lawn mowed by a paid lawn mowing guy, my kids educated at school by paid teachers in a big costly building, and getting my hair cut. However, for me, that's not a complaint.

I tend to be a down to business guy too, so actually I generally tend to like the dentists and other service providers (e.g. hair cutters) who are more efficient, professional, and less into the small talk and whatnot. In the case of doctors (e.g. dentists), by the time I find out if it's my kind of person (e.g. little to no small talk), it's too late, the job is done.

But that's the beauty of the system as it is. Namely if you like a hand holding style, fine, settle on a doc with that style. If you like short, factual discussion, great choose someone with that style. If you don't care about the style but really need an appointment at exactly 4 o'clock on Thursday afternoon, fine get whomever has an opening.

Only a simpleton would assume that a single practice style would suit every patient.

[Eckhart Aurelius Hughes]

Really? So the doc who hands you your newborn is engaging in a business transaction? Folks like to complain about the field of medicine, but those same people tend to like their personal doctor significantly more than other professionals they deal with.

When my kids were born, the doctor didn't stay in the room long enough to hand me (or the mom) the baby. He was in and out within about 5-10 minutes, if my memory serves correctly. The nurses didn't even try to get him until I could already my son's hairy head popping out.

I have a similar experience typically when I go to the dentist office. I might be there for about an hour, but the actual dentist (the one with a "Dr." before their name) is typically in the room for literally about 2 minutes. Generally, those 2 minutes are very near the end of my appointment, and many times they are the first time I am seeing or meeting that particular dentist ever, so whether or not I personally happen to like that particular dentist as a person personally more than the paid barber I use, or the guy who mows my lawn for money, or the paid teachers who teach my kids is a figurative roll of the die.

I certainly don't get the impression the dentist or other doctor would service me if he wasn't being paid, neither directly nor vicariously though the other paid staff at the office. It's clearly a business transaction--much like getting my lawn mowed by a paid lawn mowing guy, my kids educated at school by paid teachers in a big costly building, and getting my hair cut. However, for me, that's not a complaint.

I tend to be a down to business guy too, so actually I generally tend to like the dentists and other service providers (e.g. hair cutters) who are more efficient, professional, and less into the small talk and whatnot. In the case of doctors (e.g. dentists), by the time I find out if it's my kind of person (e.g. little to no small talk), it's too late, the job is done.

But that's the beauty of the system as it is. Namely if you like a hand holding style, fine, settle on a doc with that style. If you like short, factual discussion, great choose someone with that style. If you don't care about the style but really need an appointment at exactly 4 o'clock on Thursday afternoon, fine get whomever has an opening.

I agree. I like business, and I like free markets.

[ReaderAisha2020]

Great read
I found this book to be both informative and easy to understand. Our healthcare system is broken and needs to be more like when Barbara’s dad first started his practice than what it has become. I no longer feel like a person when I go to the doctor, it more like a number in a computer.

I think the problem of being a number is a general problem in society nowadays. I hate being judged by date of birth, age and other numbers. I feel that in general people are not treated as respected unique individuals. We are known as categories, and asked to tick boxes. However, has anyone ever really tried to know a person's real state ? Their real issue? And what is unique to them? I think that we can't get better in society and improve on such issues while we are treating people as numbers, categories and not respected individuals. I don't know if I went off topic here, but I felt that it was somehow related. Can we call a profession a caring profession when it does not care?

[LuckyR]

Great read
I found this book to be both informative and easy to understand. Our healthcare system is broken and needs to be more like when Barbara’s dad first started his practice than what it has become. I no longer feel like a person when I go to the doctor, it more like a number in a computer.

I think the problem of being a number is a general problem in society nowadays. I hate being judged by date of birth, age and other numbers. I feel that in general people are not treated as respected unique individuals. We are known as categories, and asked to tick boxes. However, has anyone ever really tried to know a person's real state ? Their real issue? And what is unique to them? I think that we can't get better in society and improve on such issues while we are treating people as numbers, categories and not respected individuals. I don't know if I went off topic here, but I felt that it was somehow related. Can we call a profession a caring profession when it does not care?

Uummm... I think you are confusing the receptionist (who is guarding against ID theft) with the doctor.

[Apearce808]

I thought this book was very good as a primer - introducing concepts people may or may not be familiar with related to the healthcare system in an approachable way.
Should healthcare be a "business" probably not if you're thinking of the base idea that it does good for people in need. But even that is just a concept. The outcome of 'good done for people in need' does not just happen magically, it's a product of equipment and drugs and tests and is handled in facilities - all of which have costs. So if there is a cost, there has to be someone to pay. In that aspect healthcare is a business. Now you throw insurance and big pharma on top of that and it gets sideways fast and it very quickly becomes about bottom lines under the guise of helping people. Example - why don't they devote money to developing TB drugs...because people who get TB can't pay for the drugs - there's no market - unlike ED drugs (as an example) - massive market of people with money willing to pay - so that's where the drug companies go.