When we visit our favorite doctor, I wonder if it would work better if we could submit our problem in writing ahead of time, to allow the doctor time to analyze the problem. It seems that when we see the doctor and describe our problem, there is typically about 5 minutes for the doctor to respond with a solution. Perhaps this is part of the problem with them just trying for the easiest solution, which is wastefull of both our times, at best, and maybe a little dangerous. Great for a broken arm, but not for something more complex. We shouldn't expect instant answers, nor should the doctors give them!
Friday, April 14, 2006
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
American Cars vs. Foreign Cars
With all recent news about how the American car companies are having financial trouble, I'm wondering why Americans don't like American cars? Some might say it's the quality, others might say the price. But I wonder, would we buy them even if they were the same quality and price? Is it possible that we simply don't think very highly of our workers?
For some reason, we seem to have the idea that foreigh cars are somehow better or cheaper. We apparently feel that American workers are simply not capable of producing a quality car. Since foreign companies (read Asian) workers are better taken care of by their companies than our workers, perhaps they are motivated to do quality work. Do we feel that because of our unions, our workers don't care, so they take no pride in their work, and hence no quality? Or maybe it's because they feel they get such a bad deal from the companies they work for that they simply don't care?
Maybe management needs to rethink how workers are treated. Maybe the unions need to rethink how they protect workers.
As far as cost is concerned, we've said for many years that our costs are higher becuase of government regulations. However, I believe the government also regulates the foreign cars that are imported, so that might not be true. I'd guess that the cost of health care benefits has a lot to do with the costs passed on to the consumer, though.
As a side note, it seems we also think anything European is better (classier?), otherwise why would so many people try to emulate the European accents? Are we really a lower class than Europeans? Why not just be ourselves.
For some reason, we seem to have the idea that foreigh cars are somehow better or cheaper. We apparently feel that American workers are simply not capable of producing a quality car. Since foreign companies (read Asian) workers are better taken care of by their companies than our workers, perhaps they are motivated to do quality work. Do we feel that because of our unions, our workers don't care, so they take no pride in their work, and hence no quality? Or maybe it's because they feel they get such a bad deal from the companies they work for that they simply don't care?
Maybe management needs to rethink how workers are treated. Maybe the unions need to rethink how they protect workers.
As far as cost is concerned, we've said for many years that our costs are higher becuase of government regulations. However, I believe the government also regulates the foreign cars that are imported, so that might not be true. I'd guess that the cost of health care benefits has a lot to do with the costs passed on to the consumer, though.
As a side note, it seems we also think anything European is better (classier?), otherwise why would so many people try to emulate the European accents? Are we really a lower class than Europeans? Why not just be ourselves.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Some Thoughts on Doctors
I guess we all have a "love/hate" relationship with our doctors. It could be that our "love" is really what we feel because we are very intimidated by them. The main source of the intimidation is from our fear that they can and will withhold treatment that will provide us with a better quality of life. I firmly believe they will do this, under the pretense that "it is best for us", simply as retaliation for our not giving them the respect they feel they are due.
And speaking of respect they are due, why do you think they feel they are due this respect, anymore than we are, and they certainly don't respect us!
Doctors are really no different or smarter than anyone else. Certainly they took a different path in their education than we did, but it doesn't mean they're any smarter. It was just a different interest. Any one of us might have become a doctor if we had an interest in it. (Keep in mind that there are certainly some very smart doctors, just as in any profession.) The fact that they are not really a lot smarter is born out by the fact that when it comes to a diagnosis, their experiance comes into play more than their education. At best, they make educated guesses, which any of us might be able to do also. They might also just pick something that's convenient. For example, if I go to the doctor for a headache, but my arm is in a cast because I broke it, they'd blame the headache on the broken arm without even trying to figure out if that was really the cause.
Doctors, of course, feel they are too smart, and that we're too dumb for them to have to listen to anything we say, or what we might feel about our own bodies.
I also wonder why we don't really get any feedback from doctors. When they don't say anything (you know, the old "hum"..), it might be just because they simply don't know. Or maybe they think we're just too dumb to actually discuss anything with us.
Do doctors really take the time to study the latest developments, or do they simply rely on the pretty sales woman to tell them? Just as in any other professional field of work, they really have an obligation to continue studying, do research, and stay up-to-date on the latest knowledge in the field.
Speaking of being just like any other profession, doctors are really just like any one else. If you think of your own environment (home, work, or where ever), and think of all the different personalities, doctors arn't any different. There are good ones and bad ones. Some are arrogant, some are humble. Some are very conscientious, while others just want to get by (and rake in the money). I'm sure some doctors think they know better than other doctors, and discount a diagnosis that some other doctor came to. It's the old "I can do my job better than you" syndrome.
Just as the teacher's association doesn't want to hold teachers to a certain standard, and even the Catholic Church is not interested in keeping it's priests from molesting kids, so the American Medical Association doesn't want to hold doctors to a high standard.
If doctors quit being so arrogant and started to listen to and work with patients, their whole image would change!
And speaking of respect they are due, why do you think they feel they are due this respect, anymore than we are, and they certainly don't respect us!
Doctors are really no different or smarter than anyone else. Certainly they took a different path in their education than we did, but it doesn't mean they're any smarter. It was just a different interest. Any one of us might have become a doctor if we had an interest in it. (Keep in mind that there are certainly some very smart doctors, just as in any profession.) The fact that they are not really a lot smarter is born out by the fact that when it comes to a diagnosis, their experiance comes into play more than their education. At best, they make educated guesses, which any of us might be able to do also. They might also just pick something that's convenient. For example, if I go to the doctor for a headache, but my arm is in a cast because I broke it, they'd blame the headache on the broken arm without even trying to figure out if that was really the cause.
Doctors, of course, feel they are too smart, and that we're too dumb for them to have to listen to anything we say, or what we might feel about our own bodies.
I also wonder why we don't really get any feedback from doctors. When they don't say anything (you know, the old "hum"..), it might be just because they simply don't know. Or maybe they think we're just too dumb to actually discuss anything with us.
Do doctors really take the time to study the latest developments, or do they simply rely on the pretty sales woman to tell them? Just as in any other professional field of work, they really have an obligation to continue studying, do research, and stay up-to-date on the latest knowledge in the field.
Speaking of being just like any other profession, doctors are really just like any one else. If you think of your own environment (home, work, or where ever), and think of all the different personalities, doctors arn't any different. There are good ones and bad ones. Some are arrogant, some are humble. Some are very conscientious, while others just want to get by (and rake in the money). I'm sure some doctors think they know better than other doctors, and discount a diagnosis that some other doctor came to. It's the old "I can do my job better than you" syndrome.
Just as the teacher's association doesn't want to hold teachers to a certain standard, and even the Catholic Church is not interested in keeping it's priests from molesting kids, so the American Medical Association doesn't want to hold doctors to a high standard.
If doctors quit being so arrogant and started to listen to and work with patients, their whole image would change!
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