Originally Posted by Quaildog:
What happened to the AMA? The smart doctors didn't want collective bargaining so they sold their souls to corporate medicine. Now lÖÖky what we got. I would imagine an DO sold out first to spite the AMA for their being shut-out of the AMA.
Now corporate hospital executives and nurses are practicing medicine without a license.
HÖly cow
Get your facts straight QD.
The AMA is not a union. There is no collective bargaining power with the AMA. Insurance companies stand behind a little know federal law that says professional medical personel cannot use collective bargaining to their advanatage, so therefore they will not even meet with a group of physicians to discuss reimbursements. The AMA is going downhill because much like the unions you mentioned, they priced themselves right out of existence. They want upwards of $750 a year for membership, yet everytime the government comes along with some half-azzed scheme which deprives the workforce of more money, or puts higher demands on the office staff, they jump in bed with them. It is run by a bunch of academicians who have no idea how it works in the real world. Few if any of the leadership actually sees a patient, though they all have flowery resumes. You could shoot a birdshot in a group of physicians and not hit one who will actually admit to belonging to the organization, yet they claim to represent the majority of phsycians in the country. The only numbers they have come from the free memberships they give every medical resident. Of course when those people graduate and see the real world, and get a big bill from the AMA they throw it in the trash and realize they do nothing for us.
The AMA welcomes any physician, whether they are allopathic or osteopathic trained, since all of them use the same color money. They certainly don't practice the prejustice you claim others have, money is the great equalizer.
And yes nurses are practicing medicine. Better get used to it. The coming medcial environment will be staffed primarily by first tier care providers, namely nurse practioners. They are already being given priviledges to do endoscopy and write prescriptions without oversight. Eventually they will demand the same pay as their more highly trained colleagues who actually attended medical school. When that happens, the government will just move down the list and find the next most qualified provider to fill their place. Word is that they can probably use pipefitters and electricians in the urology and cardioly clinics, so hang in there, we might find something for you do yet.....