If there were a conventional treatment for a disease in a traditional medical practice that worked only 10% of the time or less - would anyone feel comfortable claiming it was a fantastic cure? I suspect not, yet those abysmal successful treatment numbers are present in some areas of the mental health arena when it comes to addiction treatment. However, you almost never hear about the failure of the 12 step programs or outpatient treatment plans and their high failure rate. Why is that?

Today, the topic physician burnout and looking at the numbers at who is suffering and what the causes are. Medscape published its 2019 Survey of Physician Burnout, Depression, & Suicide that dives deep into the demographics and causes of the phenomena. However, what was notably absent from the possible causes for burnout was financial matters. What effect does a high personal debt have on physician well being? And if it is a problem, how can you find your out of debt to improve your psyche as a physician?

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Today, the topic physician burnout and looking at the numbers at who is suffering and what the causes are. Medscape published its 2019 Survey of Physician Burnout, Depression, & Suicide that dives deep into the demographics and causes of the phenomena. However, what was notably absent from the possible causes for burnout was financial matters. What effect does a high personal debt have on physician well being? And if it is a problem, how can you find your out of debt to improve your psyche as a physician?

I have spent a lot of time discussing innovative ways of delivering medical care on this show and it has primarily been based around primary care. However, those who are specialists who traditionally practiced using third party payors (Medicare, Medicaid, commercial) are also beginning to strike out on their own and switch to cash pay. The reason for this is that the cost of using insurance and the lack of access allows these specialists to find a market for the type of medicine they want to practice.

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I have spent a lot of time discussing innovative ways of delivering medical care on this show and it has primarily been based around primary care. However, those who are specialists who traditionally practiced using third party payors (Medicare, Medicaid, commercial) are also beginning to strike out on their own and switch to cash pay. The reason for this is that the cost of using insurance and the lack of access allows these specialists to find a market for the type of medicine they want to practice.

What is the difference between a first year medical student and a senior in college? A lot of debt and neither knows anything about medicine. Contrary to popular belief, medical students don't know the first thing about the health care system, how it is delivered in the United States, or what challenges face physicians in caring for their patients. So all of the popular opinions floating around in the general undergraduate student population are present upon their training.

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What is the difference between a first year medical student and a senior in college? A lot of debt and neither knows anything about medicine. Contrary to popular belief, medical students don't know the first thing about the health care system, how it is delivered in the United States, or what challenges face physicians in caring for their patients. So all of the popular opinions floating around in the general undergraduate student population are present upon their training.

For those who have encountered the health care system - the emergency room is the greatest mystery for charges. Although little of emergency care is truly emergency life threatening care (est. ~3%) the care is some of the most expensive in the hospital. Whether that it is imaging, laboratory, or professional services - patients and insurers are expected to pay the inflated costs. So how do we control costs and not break the bank for all of our patients when they are possibly at their most vulnerable?

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For those who have encountered the health care system - the emergency room is the greatest mystery for charges. Although little of emergency care is truly emergency life threatening care (est. ~3%) the care is some of the most expensive in the hospital. Whether that it is imaging, laboratory, or professional services - patients and insurers are expected to pay the inflated costs. So how do we control costs and not break the bank for all of our patients when they are possibly at their most vulnerable?

If there is one thing patients and doctors agree about when it comes to primary care it's that it isn't properly working for either one. Doctors have too little time to spend with patients, can only address one or two problems at a time, and spend most of the little face time they get staring at a computer screen than at their patient.

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