Comments on: boutique medicine http://dtoub.wordpress.com/2009/05/16/boutique-medicine/ Sat, 19 Dec 2009 23:39:08 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: dtoub http://dtoub.wordpress.com/2009/05/16/boutique-medicine/#comment-490 dtoub Tue, 19 May 2009 03:51:32 +0000 http://dtoub.wordpress.com/2009/05/16/boutique-medicine/#comment-490 I don't disagree at all, Paul. It makes perfect sense for the physician. He/She gets to practice the way he/she wants, can limit the number of patients, has a decent income, and doesn't have to mess with payors. It's certainly obvious why this would be appealing. But from a larger perspective, this isn't a good thing for all the reasons I stated. I don’t disagree at all, Paul. It makes perfect sense for the physician. He/She gets to practice the way he/she wants, can limit the number of patients, has a decent income, and doesn’t have to mess with payors. It’s certainly obvious why this would be appealing. But from a larger perspective, this isn’t a good thing for all the reasons I stated.

]]> By: Paul H. Muller http://dtoub.wordpress.com/2009/05/16/boutique-medicine/#comment-488 Paul H. Muller Mon, 18 May 2009 15:32:48 +0000 http://dtoub.wordpress.com/2009/05/16/boutique-medicine/#comment-488 Part of me roots for the doctor willing to break with the insurance companies to spend more time with his patients and less time filling out paperwork. I bet the care he provides is first-rate. But at the end of the day it is the cost of medical technology that is driving up the price we pay for healthcare. One doctor can't provide the equipment and facilites routinely required for care today. So we are in the same trap, even if our boutique PCP is an improvement over the 10 minute visit we normally get with the physican working in an industrial-size practice. The scale of medicine has changed, but our public policies have left us behind. Part of me roots for the doctor willing to break with the insurance companies to spend more time with his patients and less time filling out paperwork. I bet the care he provides is first-rate. But at the end of the day it is the cost of medical technology that is driving up the price we pay for healthcare. One doctor can’t provide the equipment and facilites routinely required for care today. So we are in the same trap, even if our boutique PCP is an improvement over the 10 minute visit we normally get with the physican working in an industrial-size practice. The scale of medicine has changed, but our public policies have left us behind.

]]> By: Caleb Deupree http://dtoub.wordpress.com/2009/05/16/boutique-medicine/#comment-487 Caleb Deupree Sun, 17 May 2009 04:51:53 +0000 http://dtoub.wordpress.com/2009/05/16/boutique-medicine/#comment-487 The really sad part for patients is that even if you sign up for a boutique service, you *still* have to carry insurance against the possibility of a catastrophic accident. Your fee estimate is a bit low too. We inquired about such a service, but it was $10k per year for a couple. The only health plan that works in the US is, don't get sick. The really sad part for patients is that even if you sign up for a boutique service, you *still* have to carry insurance against the possibility of a catastrophic accident. Your fee estimate is a bit low too. We inquired about such a service, but it was $10k per year for a couple.

The only health plan that works in the US is, don’t get sick.

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