Monday, July 12, 2010

From the Sermo Blog: Doctor Leaving USA

On the Sermo Blog, you'll read this story from a U.S. physician:  Doctor Leaving USA

Intro from Daniel Palestrant, Founder & CEO of Sermo
The Sermo community responds to a physician who has decided to leave America and practice elsewhere after the passage of health care reform. Many physicians feel their interests were sidelined in the reform debate and passage.
I'm sorry.

Some may say i'm weak, some may say I've given up too soon. What they CAN'T say about me is that I didn't try. I stood out on the street on my Saturdays off and tried to rally for "real" health care reform. I've offered to hold forums for other docs to discuss ways we can inform the public and our patients...I've passed out fliers in the doctors lounge at my hospital. I've done it all and I've seen everything fail. I'm tired. I can't go on in this country for another 20+ years.

I've been sued once already and now (icing on the cake), I have a former patient, an illegal alien who is considering suing my practice. I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel. I've been beat up and I'm not doing it anymore. I love this country and I LOVE my practice and even worse, I'm damned good at what I do. But now, I chose to do it somewhere else. Somewhere where people don't expect me to produce the world for them and say "thank you" for the care I've provided and don't argue with me about EVERYTHING.

I know I'm not a martyr but someone can let Mr. Obama know that a perfectly good, board certified physician is deciding to call another country home because I can't take it anymore!!!
Here's a link to the Sermo Blog post.  

I think this person may also want to consider a career transition into a non-clinical career. Then again, practicing medicine in a different country could be a better option, especially if you pick the right country.  I've always had an interest in international health care issues. What happens if you move to a different country and then that country goes through similar health care reform?

2 comments:

  1. I'm doing a Fulbright at Kings College London and it has afforded me the opportunity to observe the changes that are happening in the National Health Service and other public and private sectors as well.

    Your comments sound remarkably similar to what GP's are saying in the UK given the recent changes proposed by Whitehall.

    Be careful what you ask for. There is no perfect healthcare system in the world.

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  2. Interesting post.

    I'd like to mention that our Medical Fusion Conference will be offering training in a variety of niche areas that clinical physicians could either add to their careers or transition into after clinical careers. Included in this event will be a lecture entitled Living and Working Abroad which addresses issues related to working overseas.

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