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Absolutely fascinating. This is the classic "protocol" taken to a digital masterpiece of a conclusion, and provides much food for thought. The first problem I see in instituting such a process in hospitals and docs' offices is the apparent time-consumption it would demand. Already there is copious documentation to CYA everybody ---hospital, staff, accountant, billing coder, technicians and doctor and consulting doctors-- this documentation may take three or four times as long as the personnel actually spend with the patient...this sounds like a process that could take hours...

Prepared to pay for it?

If this is a diagnstic breakthrough, there'll be some resistence by the diehards who hate change, but what is described here is exaggerated and plays on a tiresome and childish resentment of doctors. Based, IMO, not on the fact that doctors play god, but that they fail to be the god that patients expect and demand.

I think patients begin with a great respect for their doctors and hope they will be "god-like" in their ability to help them. But I don't think they realistically believe that. I do think, however, patients resent paying through the nose for a lot of wrong diagnoses. Especially those paid out of your estate.

Already there is copious documentation to CYA everybody
That should have be alleviated long ago by tort reform. It was vetoed by x42 for the sake of his buddies.
But tort reform is still not forthcoming. Has it even been on the radar screen in this Congress?

Enviro-wacko death cultivation long ago targetted medical progress. So they and their politicos are naturally allied with these non-productive, resource stealing (especially scarce time consumed for CYA), and very life-threatening lawyers.

Based, IMO, not on the fact that doctors play god, but that they fail to be the god that patients expect and demand.

That is but one resentment that the lawyers prey upon. Large, lucrative, unlimited judgments against doctors are their first interest though. That remains fettered. Do you agree that should be bumped up in importance?

How about we just run the patients through it that come back complaining that the treatment prescribed from the first visit didn't work?

"prepared to pay for it"

Well ... my doctors' wrong diagnosis cost my insurance company over $4300. I had an HMO at the time, and the ER visit only cost me $50. The $4300 could have been saved if I could have had a proper diagnosis.

I did finally get a competent doctor, but only because I ended up in the ER. A great doctor there would not stop until he found out what was making me so sick. I was then referred to a specialist who had the other pieces of the puzzle.

Again, I am dealing with the same bozos - this time it's some sort of sinus, ear fluid, stuff. They've tried all kinds of medication which I too finally stopped taking because it either isn't making any improvement, or because the side effects are intolerable. I have ask and ask for a referral to an ear, nose & throat specialist - to no avail. I've about reached my limit with these people. In fact, I got so bold to even tell the doctor - I wondered if he was going to wait until I lost my hearing before he was willing to refer me.

Any suggestions??