Doctors Fall-Short On Professionalism

Posted on January 3, 2008 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

AIM Professional Ethics Study Revealed

Staff Writers 

 

Doctors agree on basic theories of professionalism, but may not live up to those ideals in practice, according to a survey of more than 1,600 physicians published in the Dec. 4, 2007 Annals of Internal Medicine [AIM]. 

Nearly all surveyed agreed that physicians should use medical resources appropriately, be truthful with patients, minimize disparities, treat patients regardless of payment ability, maintain board certification status, perform peer-review, avoid sex with patients, work on quality initiatives, disclose conflicts of interest, report impaired or incompetent physicians, and report medical errors; etc. 

But, more than half revealed that they failed to report an observed medical error in the last three years, and/or report an impaired or incompetent colleague.

And, more than a third of the doctors said they would order an unnecessary magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] scan to pacify an insistent patient. 

So, does medical professionalism relate to patient bedside manner, as well?

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Maine Overturns Medical Data Restrictions

Posted on January 3, 2008 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

Prescription Information Dissemination OK’d

Associated Press, December 24, 2007 

A federal judge in Maine recently overturned a new state law that restricts access by medical data companies to doctors’ prescription information.  

U.S. District Judge John Woodcock concluded that the law, which was scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, would prohibit “the transfer of truthful commercial information” and “violate the free speech guarantee of the First Amendment.”   

The law had been challenged on constitutional grounds by IMS Health Inc. of Norwalk, Conn., Wolters Kluwer Health of Conshohocken, Pa., and Verispan of Yardley, Pa., which collect, analyze and sell medical data to pharmaceutical companies for use in their marketing programs. 

Judge Woodcock noted that he relied heavily on an April 30 ruling by a U.S. District Judge in New Hampshire that shot down a similar law in that state, while a similar case is pending in Vermont. 

And so, what is your opinion on physician prescription information privacy? Will other states follow Maine?  

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