posted July 11, 2007 09:46 PM         

Isn't that the worst!!! In Cochise they can only do a patch up on a real trauma case and then they send the patient to Tucson. As one of the emergency responders for the County Health department, I had to work with the ER docs and nurses at the main hospital to plan for catastrophic events. I was appalled to hear the same old "Oh.. if that happens, we air lift them to Tucson.. nope.. that one would go to Phoenix.. nope we don't have the capabilities to take that either.."

posted July 12, 2007 01:43 PM         

i agree with you about the abuses that are rampant in the current medical system. i've worked in various medical offices and they do indeed generate lots of money through unnecessary tests and treatments, that they admit among themselves, not to mention drug therapy, that keep the patients dependent on them for frequent office visits.

in some respects, i think that this system relieves people of all responsibility for their own health. in the book "How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of Your Doctor," written by a renowned pediatrician, the doctor maintains that most office visits and treatments are very unnecessary, and exist primarily for the reassurance of the parents. also, that many of these treatments actually are detrimental to the child's health. the book goes on to tell readers how to understand and treat most childhood ailments, and that parents know their children much more intimately than medical professionals ever can, and therefore are much better at treating them than the 'professionals.' in other words, he advocates taking responsibility for our own health, and relying on our own competence and knowledge in healing ourselves and our children -- this written from the perspective of a very successful and respected pediatrician after an entire career of treating childen and their parents.

he did however, counsel parents about the important health situations when medical care for their children is critical. it is important to be able to discern this, and there are instances when traditional, allopathic medicine can be life-saving and necessary. so it's important also not to discount the entire medical system as fraudulent or otherwise.

it's a difficult area, the health care arena. though i wouldn't label it 'health-care' per se, lol, but rather 'sick-care'.

posted July 13, 2007 04:59 PM         

More than anything I just wish for people to be aware of the potential problems that are out there regarding something that is a matter of life and death---health. I have found that most folks do not know what they are in for until a crisis arises....then it is too late...

And it angers the daylights out of me that we can take care of everybody else in the world but when it comes to middle class, working Americans.....we are really the ones who are expected to take the fallout for the US extending it's gratuities to the world...

I support M. Moore in his efforts to bring this issue to light. True, tho----he does focus on the most extream cases....however, in a heartbeat you or I could be an extream case.