Sierra Sacramento Valley Medicine - Posits
Posits are necessarily strident or extreme statements, intended to promote discussion. Posits are not polls, nor do they necessarily reflect the views of SSV Medicine, the Medical Society or Board of Directors.
4 to 6 times a year SSVMS members are emailed the current posit topic provided by our Editorial Committee. Members are encouraged to reply with a comment. Comments are then published in the following issue of SSV Medicine.
January 2010
Dealing Directly with Patients, not Insurers
Physicians should refuse to be agents of the Public/Private insurance complex, by negotiating fees and payment only directly with patients.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/current_edition/2010/01/articles/1001-posit.asp
October 2009
Who Should Provide Primary Care?
Subspecialists are qualified to provide primary care.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/current_edition/articles/0906-posit.asp
May 2009
On the UN
The H1N1 flu and the Somalia pirates were only the two latest events that begged for UN leadership. As usual, there has been no UN response beyond rhetoric. The world will not continue to support such a costly, corrupt, failed political experiment.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/current_edition/articles/0903-posit.asp
March 2009
Two Posits on EMR
1)Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) will (or do) reduce the overhead and increase the efficiency of my practice.
2)EMRs will (or do) improve the quality of care in my medical practice.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/current_edition/articles/0902-posit.asp
January 2009
Medical Care for Indigent Illegals?
Indigents seeking medical care from the County of Sacramento should be required to show proof of citizenship
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/current_edition/articles/0901-posit.asp
September 2008
Universal Electronic Medical Records
The single most effective step that (only) government could take to improve medical care would be to impose and finance a universal electronic medical record which, excepting in emergencies, is password-controlled by the patient.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/2008/06/articles/0806-posit.pdf
August 2008
Cost and Effectiveness of State/ Federal Medical Care
Economy and effectiveness of State/Federal health care like Medi-Cal and Medicare would be greatly improved by providing more compensation for primary care, and reducing compensation for procedure-intensive care.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/2008/05/articles/0805-posit.pdf
May 2008
"Big Box" Medical Care
The provision of primary medical care by business like Wal-Mart will prove to be efficient, effective and commercially viable.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/2008/04/articles/0804-posit.pdf
April 2008
Universal Health Care
1) The U. S. electorate is neither willing to pay for universal health care, nor to accept rationing of health care.
2) Most politicians are neither willing to risk losing an election through truth telling, nor to do whatever is necessary to provide universal health care.
3) The nation is neither able to pay the economic costs of universal health care, nor to initiate change that could lead to universal health care.
4) Truly universal health care will never be achieved by design or by a 'revolution in health care'. But it will evolve slowly and inevitably as a consequence of technologic change.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/articles/2008/03/articles/0803-posit.pdf
February 2008
Disclosure of Medical Information
1) It is unethical for a physician to disclose a patient's medical history for contractual or commercial reasons.
2) A physician is ethically obligated to withhold medical information except when required by law or the patient.
3) I never lie in the best interest of a patient.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/2008/02/articles/0802-posit.pdf
November 2007
Mandated Medical Translation Services
A government mandate to provide medical interpreters for non-English speaking people is demeaning and counterproductive for patients, for medicine and for a coherent, cohesive society.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/2008/01/articles/0801-posit.pdf
October 2007
Global Warming
Whether humanity contributes significantly to global warming is a matter of no significance to health or to the practice of medicine at this time.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/2007/06/articles/0706-posit.pdf
August 2007
Board Endorsement of Political Candidates
It is important for a representative body like the SSVMS Board of Directors to exercise its authority to endorse the candidate for political office who most clearly reflects the views of the majority of our members.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/articles/0705-posit.pdf
June 2007
Plan B: The Morning After Pill
Primary care physicians have an ethical and professional obligation to inform women of childbearing age about 'Plan B' (the Morning After Pill), and to offer the prescription to be filled in an emergency.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/2007/04/articles/0704-posit.pdf
March 2007
The Right to Profit and Health Care
If health care is a 'right,' like life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, it follows inevitably that a free and competitive market - or unregulated profit - is inconsistent with that right.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/2007/03/articles/0703-posit.pdf
December 2006
School Lunch Limitations / Smoking Bans
SSVMS/CMA should support legislation to: (1) Limit transfats and carbohydrates in school lunches and vending machines; (2) Ban smoking in all public entertainment, whether live, or as portrayed on TV and in movies.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/2007/01/articles/0701-posit.pdf
September 2006
Balance Billing
In a free-enterprise system any 'non-contracted' physician has a fundamental right to directly bill patients when insurance does not pay that physician's usual and customary charge.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssvm_medicine/archives/2006/06/articles/0606-posit.pdf
June 2006
The Right to Sell an Organ for Profit
Given that we each have a constitutional right to life and the pursuit of happiness; and in that pursuit we inevitably use up, wear out, and risk our own bodies, therefore: "We should be free to sell an organ for profit."
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/2006/05/articles/0605-posit.pdf
May 2006
Decriminalize Possession of Commonly Used/Abused Drugs
We should follow the lead of Mexico, and cease making criminals of addicts and fools, to focus on producers and distributors of drugs of abuse.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/2006/04/articles/0604-posit.pdf
February 2006
Isolation or Participation?
The practice of medicine is now largely dictated by public policy. To be most effective in the public arena, physicians must abandon traditional isolated professionalism, and work together, regardless of affiliation or specialty. Participation in a local medical society is the most inclusive, democratic, and efficient way to do so.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/2006/02/articles/0602-posit.pdf
December 2005
Reviewing Peer Review
Peer review can be prejudicial, abusive, or self interested. To significantly improve medical care, it should become preventive rather than punitive, based on well documented measures of best practice. Where circumstances require privileges to be withdrawn or denied, the entire record should be available for litigation.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/2006/01/articles/0601-posit.pdf
October 2005
Motivating or Educating an "Underclass"
The greatest threat to the health of Americans is not inadequate access to medical care. It is our failure to motivate or to educate a growing segment of society, an underclass without hope of upward social and economic mobility.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/2005/06/articles/0506-posit.pdf
August 2005
Physicians and Torture
1) "It is morally and ethically justified for a physician to assist in obtaining information from a well documented terrorist, even if that can involve torture, injury, or unintended death."
2) "It is morally and ethically justified for a physician to assist in obtaining information from a suspected terrorist, even if that can involve torture, injury, or unintended death."
3) "Physicians should never cooperate with or tacitly condone the use of torture by anyone."
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/2005/05/articles/0505-posit.pdf
June 2005
Needle and Syringe Sales
Over the counter sale of needles and syringes is an economical and efficient way to reduce the incidence of Hepatitis B, C, and HIV without condoning or encouraging drug abuse.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/2005/04/articles/0504-posit.pdf
March 2005
Views on Assisted Dying
It is ethical for physicians to assist a mentally competent person to exercise a right to die by prescribing or administering lethal drugs.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/2005/03/articles/0503-posit.pdf
February 2005
Direct Marketing to the Public and to Physicians
Direct public marketing of medical procedures, technology and pharmaceuticals should be prohibited.
Direct physician marketing ("detailing") of drugs and technology is unethical and should be prohibited.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/2005/02/articles/0503posit.asp
December 2004
California Medical Society (CMA) Dues
In March, the CMA House of Delegates will consider a mandatory $50 dues increase that would go to the CMA's Political Action Committee (CALPAC) or the CMA political education fund. This is the wrong idea at the wrong time.>
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/2005/01/articles/0501-posit.pdf
November 2004
Campaign Spending
Unlimited freedom to speak is not the same as unlimited freedom to buy votes. It is time to limit the financing of propositions.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/2004/06/articles/0406-posit.pdf
September 2004
Legislative Manipulation of Hospital Charges
Hospital charges for supplies, medications, and emergency care are often many multiples of cost, directly impacting the working underinsured, and indirectly increasing the cost of care to all. Similar spiraling costs are seen in all areas of medicine. The major cause is not the development of expensive technology, but legislative manipulation and control of hospital and physician office practice.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/2004/05/articles/0405-posit.pdf
July 2004
California Senate Bill 2
Senate Bill 2, requiring employer-paid health insurance for employees, is another unfunded mandate, an irresponsible new tax on all Californians, that should be rejected by voters.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/2004/04/articles/0404-posit.pdf
September 2003
Legalize Marijuana, Cocaine, and Heroin?
Marijuana, cocaine, and heroin should be legalized and heavily taxed like cigarettes, with tax proceeds used for education and treatment.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/2003/05/articles/0305-posit.pdf
May 2003
Right to Abortion
An embryo, defined as 8 weeks gestation or less, has no innate rights. A pregnant woman does have the right to abort or, with consent of the genetic father, to allow the embryo she carries to be used for research or medical treatment.
Read Comments
To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/2003/03/articles/0303-edit.asp
March 2003
Smallpox Vaccination and Primary Care
All Primary Care Givers Should Have The Option To Take Smallpox Vaccination.
Read Comments To read comments go to http://www.ssvms.org/ssv_medicine/archives/2003/02/articles/0302-edit.pdf