Knowing Your Doctor's True Agenda

A prestigious school's associate professor got shocked as soon as he received word that he will be ousted from the provider network of a US health services company. This huge HMO from the east coast did not give him any reason for making him leave, but this doctor knew well enough that it had something to do with his public denigration about HMOs. He got into trouble due to his constant revelations of how this particular HMO along with those who only go for profit make the physicians deny the patients the care they need thus jeopardizing their health and also forcing these people to agree with everything in their contract along with a gag clause.

The contract is very particular in making sure that the doctor will not pursue any action or communication that will turn away any potential or current enrollees, their superiors, their company union groups or the extent of the coverage and that all these things must be kept in paramount confidentiality. To cut it short, a doctor can quickly be removed from his post when he tells his patients things that the HMO disagrees on.

In these awful medical circumstance, where these companies only care about the profit, physicians are barred from letting their patients know other treatment options as well as the true diagnoses and prognoses. The fact that these doctors are muzzled could give way to the reality in these awful hypothetical examples.

The mammogram results of a 49-year-old lady shows evidence of a vague shadow. the troubling result pushes the doctor to undergo another test in order to make sure that the finding of a cancerous mass was just because of a machine error. The bad news is that this is not covered by the HMO. If the physician makes the mistake of making the lady pay for a second mammogram by herself, this would be taken as criticism towards the HMO's quality of service. After six months, the patient is recommended to be back for another check-up to lessen the findings. If she, indeed, has breast cancer, that six months could be very critical for her.

To relieve an obstruction caused by an enlarged prostate, a 60-year-old man requires an operation. His surgeon would like to use a new laser technique that produces less blood loss, less pain, risk of infection or impotence. The truth is that the HMO of the patient will only be used for invasive operation that holds many more consequences. But if the surgeon tells his patient regarding the new surgery and advises an appeal of permission to use the HMO, he could be fired from his position.

A 35-year-old woman is suffering from severe depression. The woman's doctor thought of prescribing a specific brand of medication that has few side effects and no risk of death from an excessive self administered dose. However, the HMO has agreed to push for the drug that has so many side effects as well as the chance of death from overdose. The doctor thought of suggesting his patient to purchase the better brand by herself. But sadly, he signed a contract that won't allow him to say a word. Only patients who are informed well are the ones who make sound health care choices.

Due to the complex and rapid medical advances, even the smartest patient will depend on what his doctor will tell him. Negligence of the physicians in attending the needs of their patients could put the health fates of the latter into failure. With this current situation, it is not wise for patients to stick to what all their doctors are telling them.

The state nurses association and consumer watchdog groups in California get together and filed a ballot initiative that would put an end to these gag orders. Through education, legislation and other efforts by professional organizations, many patients under HMO can now consult their physicians. A lot more health care practitioners must stand up and follow the footsteps of this man who was fired from the truth he spoke against the unjust policies of HMOs. As soon as he got his contract on health care, he crossed out the gag clause before returning it.

The medical world swears by the Hippocratic Oath that enables physicians to abide by caring for their patients to the best of their knowledge and strengths and never causing anyone harm, but the HMO contracts containing gag orders disrespect this oath. How can these doctors even think of going into another oath that endangers his patients?

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