The Blindmen and the Elephant

by John Godfrey Saxe

It was six men of Hindustan
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant
(Though all of them were blind)
That each by observation
Might satisfy the mind.

The first approached the Elephant
And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side
At once began to bawl:
"Bless me, it seems the Elephant
Is very like a wall".

The second, feeling of his tusk,
Cried, "Ho! What have we here
So very round and smooth and sharp?
To me 'tis mighty clear
This wonder of an Elephant
Is very like a spear".

The third approached the animal,
And happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands,
Then boldly up and spake:
"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant
Is very like a snake."

The Fourth reached out an eager hand,
And felt about the knee.
"What most this wondrous beast is like
Is mighty plain," quoth he;
"'Tis clear enough the Elephant
Is very like a tree!"

The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,
Said: "E'en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most;
Deny the fact who can,
This marvel of an Elephant
Is very like a fan!"

The Sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope,
Than, seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope,
"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant
Is very like a rope!"

And so these men of Hindustan
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right
And all were in the wrong.

So oft in theologic wars,
The disputants, I ween,
Rail on in utter ignorance
Of what each other mean,
And prate about an Elephant
Not one of them has seen!

Has your doctor or medical team seen and read your ENTIRE file?

NYT: When patient handoffs go terribly wrong

"Handoffs are supposed to mitigate any issues that arise when doctors pass the responsibility for patient care to a colleague. “But that requires investing time and effort,” Dr. Arora said, “and using handoffs as an opportunity to come together to see how patient care can be made safer.”

Most of the time, however, handoffs are fraught with misunderstanding and miscommunication. Physicians who are signing out may inadvertently omit information, such as the rationale for a certain antibiotic or a key piece of the patient’s surgical history. And doctors who are receiving the information may not assume the same level of responsibility for the care of that patient. “Handoffs are a two-way process,” Dr. Arora observed. “It’s a complex interplay.” Missed opportunities to impart important patient information result in more uncertainty for the incoming doctor. That uncertainty leads to indecision which can ultimately result in significant delays during critical medical decisions."

Proper assessment and diagnosis should not be rushed through like a Triage situation. When your "specialist" sees you without having read your record and for a mere 15 minute consultation - as per "hospital policy" - your life can be ruined.

Article here

Tyee: To Save Big Health Dollars, Put Doctors on Salary

A Canadian nurse says that to reduce medical costs and waste, we need to put doctors on a salary. Link

"As a retired nurse who has seen first hand the health system's inner workings, I propose a different reading of rising costs, and a different way to cut them:

Let's take the business out of medicine and put the doctors on salary.

I offered this same advice last year when the provincial government conducted a "Conversation on Health" survey, during which many people voiced their opinions and solutions. Here is my logic.

Pulling in patients

The Ministry of Health itself points the finger at the rising costs of rates paid to physicians and the increased usage of lab and x-rays services. Such costs rose by a whopping seven per cent in 2007, and have continued to escalate at an alarming rate.

Having worked in a medical clinic, I saw the physician spend an inordinate amount of time and energy figuring out how to get paid more from MSP. It seemed to me that if the business were removed from his practice, his time would have been spent practicing medicine, and everyone would benefit from it.

Needless to say, my voice is barely a whisper in the grand scheme of things. We need someone who has the courage and vision to face down the Canadian and American Medical Associations and save our health care system from extinction. Where is Tommy Douglas when we need him?"