Who to Blame for Waste in the Medical Industry? Who's on First?

Implications: It's easy to point fingers of blame and this article does that, very well.  According to the "annalysis" everybody is to blame.  And, they're right, everyone is to blame, but where the article fails is the authoris inability to point out a real solution to the problem of wasted dollars spent on the American healthcare system.

Analysis:

There was a time when hosptials were initiated and overseen by religious orders, whose goal it was to minister to the body, as well as the soul.  Every hospital was uniquely different, but each one was dedicated to ideals, such as "Faith, Hope and Charity."  I think we all know that as soon as the government and insurance companies became involed, all those good feelings went right out the door.

Today, doctors, peope who came into the field of medicine with great ideals of helping their fellow man, are now wrapped up in the mirer of needless paperwork.  In fact, there is so much paperwork to the done, they barely have time to spend with their patients.  To add insult to injury, doctors are constantly fighting with insurance companies, Medicare and Medicaid.  When they are not fighting to receive payment for services rendered, they are worrying about who is going to sue them for malpractice.

Identifying the paracites: A great deal of the overall high costs of healthcare can be blamed on lawyers and insurerors, who, produce nothing that contributes to the level of wellness of our citizens, yet they reap tremendous profits from the healthcare system.

Then, you have the U.S. drug industry, which has pretty much become a sacred cow, seeing that it's one of the few industries that hasn't been totally outsourced to China or India.  It's a sad fact that Americans are paying more for their medications than citizens in any other nation on earth.  In fact, unlike the Veterans Administration, Medicare Part D is dedicated to paying full price for our seniors' medicines, without any negotiation.

To make a long story short, everyone in the medical industry is doing great, or, at least, getting by, except the patient.  Somehow, in all the hubbub, it's the patient that's taking it on the chin.  More money is spent per patient in the United States than any other nation in the world, yet our patient's are not receiving the care they need and deserve.

Today, it's not about good patient outcomes.  It's all about profits.  Don't get me wrong, you have to make a profit in order to be able to deliver care.  No profit, no care; it's that simple.  However, I believe that, with the proper guidance, we can deliver excellent care, at a reasonable cost.

Presently, the Veterans Administration is the single largest healthcare provider in the world.  They have the best computerized medical records in the world.  Are they perfect?  Of course not.  On the other hand, they provide a model of standardization and efficiency that rivals most civilian hospitals.  As well, they have enough sense to make drug manufacturers bid for their business, getting taxe payers the best bang for their buck.

Not saying I'm in favor of socialized medicine, because I'm not.  However, I am in favor of streamlining the healthcare system in a way that really does reduce paperwork for physicians, and nurses and reduces the power that lawyers and insurance companies have over our healthcare system.