I think ability to pay/Hipporatic Oath went by the wayside in our "modern" economy. Poor doctors do have a heck of a time, no respect anymore what with the Internet and all and so many customers as well as so many doctors. It's a smorgasborg out there with "specialties" and all. The "family" doctor literally doesn't exist; gone by the wayside like home visits. Machines and meds have taken the place of individual knowledge and costs of med school are so high that it takes forever for a med student to pay off student loans. Foreign competition (my doctor is from Sri Lanka) and managed "care" have usurped medical school knowledge and "alternate" medicine makes inroads on "customers" too.
Of course it's not just doctors with these problems, the poor patient has to be able to use computers and surf the Internet or risk wrong meds and crummy doctors and it's no picnic dealing with the insurance companies. Once has to keep up with one's diseases, can't trust the doctor anymore and that doesn't help doctor/patient relationships. One almost has to know as much as one's doctor! Set my bone or operate on me if you must but otherwise, I'm watching you!
The insurance company has to make sure its too many employees get paid through this complicated system where every little detail has a code AND make sure the doctors, hospitals, suppliers get paid but the customer doesn't get too screwed and revolt, not that that would get anyone anywhere.
My parents use to say, "old age isn't for sissies" but I think it's "life isn't for sissies" anymore!
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"Never give a sword to a man who can't dance." ~Confucius
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