HealthMatters 2010
Rheumatologist: Our health
care system is a right, not a
privilege. And in a country
with so many financial resourc-
es available, there has to be a
way to divide it more equally.
If that’s not in the front of ev-
eryone’s mind, it should be. Be-
cause it’s a tragedy.
OB/GYN: It should not [be]
driven by who can pay. Fair and
equal access to health care is
important. The insurance situ-
ation is a total mess. It’s a mess
for patients and from a physi-
cian/provider standpoint. The
system is broken.
Have you ever had to “fire” a
patient?
Internist/General Practitioner:
I’ve not had to actually fire a
patient. I’ve had to give last
chances, tell people this is the
last time we’re going through
this, and if you don’t follow
through this time we’re go-
ing to give you 30 days to find
somebody new. Those have
been times when somebody
has a life-threatening condition
and has been given a proper
course of treatment and doesn’t
follow through.
Emergency Medicine: We fire
patients for bad behavior; I’m
proud to say it. If you come
in and you’re verbally hos-
tile, use bad language, you get a
DR. THOMAS RUSSELL
warning, and if you don’t calm
Top-rated dermatologist.
down, you’re escorted out.
Cardiologist: I had to fire a pa-
tient. She would come in and
companies have bred this lack
If you could change anything
because there is simply no time was extremely disruptive to the
of loyalty.
about the health care system,
to do that anymore. office. She would act out. And
Cardiologist: It is important for
what would it be?
Emergency Medicine: The she would not show up for ap-
patients to read and ask ques- Internist/General Practitioner: health care system is bro- pointments, or show up when
tions. You must advocate for Our current system sets ev- ken. I think it’s criminal that she was not scheduled. This
yourself. Talk to your doc- eryone against each other in in America you can work and was unfair and dangerous for
tors. Insist on open and honest the hopes of controlling costs lose your house because you the other patients.
communication. without making painful deci- had an emergency appendecto- Rheumatologist: I remember
Rheumatologist: Be patient. sions. The most damaging as- my. One of my partners had a very well the only time I had
There is sort of a tendency pect is that it’s eroded the link good suggestion that the gov- to do it. It was a patient who
where everything is expected between the doctor and the pa- ernment should start by pro- was ungrateful and didn’t re-
right now. Doctors understand tient. It’s made it much more viding health care to every spect me. He basically refused
that patients want relief quickly, difficult to form a lasting and child up to the age of 18. We to take my advice, told me I
but being anxious isn’t going to solid doctor/patient relation- provide education, maybe we didn’t know what I was talk-
facilitate anything. ship. And a large part of that is should provide health care. ing about and disregarded
10 › Milwaukee Magazine › HealthMatters 2010 ›
milwaukeemagazine.com Photo by Dan Bishop
1109_HM_FEAT_Top Docs.indd 10 9/22/09 1:36:10 PM
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