Physicians : Are We Becoming Another Fungible Commodity ?
“ There is nothing more important to me as a physician than your cancer treatment . I ’ ve been in practice for over two decades and have had the privilege of telling many patients that there is life beyond cancer . As president of The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders , I want to lead by example , practicing a firm belief that all patients should receive the finest medical care available , with the same concern and compassion as a cherished member of the family .”
Ray Page , D . O ., Ph . D . President and Medical Oncologist The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders
I just got back from New York City where I went to a TV studio and moderated a discussion on the future of Medicare payments for cancer care . I had to wear makeup , which took a lot to take the shine off the top of my head !!
While I was there , I met with a couple of New Jersey practices I am recruiting into our national “ supergroup ” the Quality Cancer Care Alliance ( QCCA ). I also met with Dan Frier , Esq ., who is a nationally recognized healthcare attorney with expertise in battling the corporatization of medicine , unwinding hospital-physician relationships , and building private “ supergroups ”. At QCCA we are using him to form a Clinically Integrated Network ( CIN ) with our 20 cancer centers across the US . That is another story .
While having highballs with Dan on a rooftop garden in NYC , we talked about how physicians are increasingly becoming a fungible commodity . But what is a fungible commodity ? Well it is a product or service that can easily be substituted for and replaced ( interchangeable ). Physicians ? Really ? That is disturbing !
From the days of the Hippocratic Oath , surely health and medical care is not classified as another commodity . Certainly , it is more deeply rooted in the trusted inter-relationship between the patient and physician . I have always thought of myself as a steward for the prudent use of the resources we have for our patients , and not as a catalyst whose purpose is to dole out medicines and procedures for profit of an entity . In other words , in the corporatization of healthcare , physicians are now increasingly owned by behemoth healthcare delivery systems , being “ MBA-ed ” by blue suits , shackling our patient care with administrative restrictions . When a physician is considered fully accountable but has no autonomy or control then that leads to burnout , which is rampant in the majority of our physician workforce today .
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The corporatization of healthcare means that the transaction between the physician and patient becomes a commercial relationship . The physician is now diminished to another “ healthcare provider ”, and the individual physician ’ s name becomes buried , as their employing Medical Care Organization becomes regarded as the patient ’ s “ doctor ”. |
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Right now , in our current broken healthcare system , independent physicians are struggling to financially survive . There are many private-equity groups wanting to snatch up those groups . Their purpose ? They view the physician as a profit center that can be driven to be more profitable . In 3-5 years the practice will then be sold to another entity with the private-equity investors making a massive profit . Their view of the physician ? A fungible commodity . Essentially replaceable with the next “ drone ” and even disposable , when not in lock-step with leadership objectives .
Beware , nowadays , YOU , the patient are a fungible commodity , an “ insured life ”, being bartered and traded between huge healthcare systems and networks . And YOU are labeled as a “ profit ” or “ loss ” center .
To learn more about cancer care issues or to consult with a physician about a cancer diagnosis , contact us at 817.596.0637 .
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