Compensation at the “Big 5” ranged from $10.1 million for Humana’s CEO to more than $66 million for the CEO of United Healthcare in 2015. CEO compensation for Anthem, Aetna, and Cigna also fell within that range. Affordable health care has definitely helped people. But who exactly are we trying to help? I am not convinced it is the children growing up in America today.
It happened to me one unforgettable January morning. The weather has been glorious this week; it is time to tell this story, even though I am hesitant to share it. Our world today is fast-paced and time-crunched; sometimes we overlook details as a result. Infants are rear-facing until they are 2 years old; they can fall asleep in their car seat and we can forget they are there. It really can happen to ANY parent and below is my own experience.
Influenza is the seventh leading cause of death in children under the age of 14 in the United States. Illness can be life-threatening and needs to be taken seriously. A flu vaccine is developed each year to keep up with the ever changing strains that are circulating. This year 2015-2016, the strains circulating match the vaccine accurately. Last year 2014-2015, the vaccine was less than 50% preventative. I hope you find this information helpful.
PANDAS is thought to occur when a streptococcal infection triggers a misdirected immune response resulting in significant mood and behavior changes. The child quickly begins exhibiting symptoms of OCD, anxiety, tics, personality changes, and sensory sensitivities. The diagnosis of PANDAS is clinical, which means there are no lab tests confirm its existence. These diagnostic criteria were developed:
So far, with only 7 years of parenting under my belt, my children seem to have a solid self-esteem base, some self-control (a work in progress), and appear to be developing into truly compassionate human beings. There is still a lot for me to learn and many years of trials ahead. Whether or not my children will become successful adults, remains to be seen, but I can tell you it will be my life-long work in progress and it will be sprinkled with compassion along the way.
How did he let her go? Does he not know we cut patients open and save lives? The shock wore off slowly and then a week later, we reviewed the autopsy report. It provided a remarkable lesson never to be forgotten. Somehow, her father knew better than the healthcare team, what was best for his child. I was not ready, yet he was prepared to let her go and made the right decision.
After having four children of my own, my parenting goals are now simpler than they might have been before this tragic event. The “best-I-can-do” parenting is good enough; everything does not have to be perfect. My little brother grabbed life with both hands and experienced everything he possibly could in the moment. I strive to make the most of each and every day with my children and be grateful for that time, in honor of my little brother. He would not have wanted it any other way.
In my opinion, the physician-patient relationship is the most powerful force existing in medicine today. It has kept my love for this career alive even on the worst days. Being part of a childs’ life and changing it in some small way for the better is something to treasure. “Medically, mentally, physically, and academically, he did it!” Max has many more triumphs ahead for Max, there will also be many for other children who struggled early in life to survive.
A man called our office this week and asked what WE charge for co-pays. What the what? Copays and deductibles are what YOUR insurance requires you to pay according to your contract. They consider it “your investment” in your health care. We were asked the other day whether the copay really makes a difference in our bottom line. You bet it does! It makes up a significant portion of total income for our business and keeps us afloat.
I was 12 years old in 1987 when the first physician I knew committed suicide. My father was the seventh physician to join The Doctors Clinic in 1971. I was raised attending summertime backyard picnics at other physicians’ homes and remember most of their families and children. It was a close-knit community of medical providers back then; something that may have prevented more tragic events like this from occurring.
