[Kozak]

I don't know how much time a doctor should spend with someone, but I think it's great when they remember that they are serving customers.

Really? You might want to rethink that. When I take care of a patient my responsibility is to do my best for that patient. The "customer" is the person paying the bill. And that is frequently NOT the patient. It's his insurance company or his boss or the Federal Government. Thats exactly where a lot of the conflicts in modern medicine arise, where the "customer" wants me to do something one way and the patient would not benefit from that action.

[dread78645]

The "customer" is the person paying the bill. And that is frequently NOT the patient. It's his insurance company or his boss or the Federal Government.

Zactly.

[kstewskis]

When I take care of a patient my responsibility is to do my best for that patient. The "customer" is the person paying the bill. And that is frequently NOT the patient. It's his insurance company or his boss or the Federal Government. Thats exactly where a lot of the conflicts in modern medicine arise, where the "customer" wants me to do something one way and the patient would not benefit from that action.

Thank you for posting that clear dose of reality.

[El Gato]

Really? You might want to rethink that. When I take care of a patient my responsibility is to do my best for that patient. The "customer" is the person paying the bill. And that is frequently NOT the patient.

You've actually put your finger on the cause of the troubles. The patient, and the customer not being one and the same. Since the patient can't decide how important a particular procedure is to him, (having paid his money, one way or another, long before) he can't say, well, it's expensive, but I need it, or want it. Or alternatively he can't say, it's expensive, I'll see if I can find another doctor who can do it for less, or I'll wait until I really need it. Whatever "it" might be. I know I haven't said that very well, but I think the basic picture is clear. Everyone has "customer" they need to satisfy, doctors are no different really, things work best when the customer is also the one that benefits from the work.