Patients aren't what ails our health system

Blaming the patients with minor complaints who clog our emergency rooms for the problems in our health-care system is like blaming the sparrow for the hurricane ("Suck It Up, America" by Dr. Thomas A. Doyle, Oct. 11 Forum).

Decades of special-interest lobbying and obstructionism on the part of nearly all stakeholders, including hospital and medical associations, to say nothing of our former president whose assessment was that all Americans had health care since they could just go to the emergency room, are most responsible for our current crisis in health care. Insured patients who have primary care doctors, who have access to health teaching and minor treatment from other professionals such as nurse practitioners, have no need to seek care in the ER.

Dr. Doyle says we are all whining wimps and that, like he and his co-workers, we should go to work when we're sick -- even with something probably contagious. Yikes, I would like to hear the Allegheny County Health Department weigh in on this as the flu season is getting into full swing.

Unlike many of these patients, the good doctor probably has paid sick leave, and the wolf is hardly at his financial door. Not so lucky are the marginally employed members of our society without sick leave who go to work and sneeze into our salads.

I hope the doctor will wash his hands, stay home when he's sick and, when he has a bad day, remember that this is why it's called "work." If all else fails, he could try looking into the eyes of his patients to see if he can find some common humanity.

LINDA L. HALLER
Mt. Lebanon

The writer is an advanced practice registered nurse.

Absolutely right

Regarding "Suck It Up, America": This article by Dr. Thomas A. Doyle was 100 percent accurate, and most medical personnel will agree with his statements.

Hopefully, after reading this, readers will become more patient and refrain from rushing to emergency rooms for self-limiting conditions such as colds and poison ivy.

The author should send a copy of his book to all our congressmen -- it would stimulate a new debate on health-care reform !

MARTHA J. MESKO
Ambridge

The writer is a certified registered nurse practitioner.

Legitimate majority

I read the excerpt from Dr. Thomas A. Doyle's book published in the Post-Gazette last Sunday and came away feeling that he doesn't know what he's talking about.

You can look on the Internet to see what are the most common reasons people visit the ER -- strains and sprains, chest pain. Are you going to tell me that a person with a sprained ankle, who doesn't know if it's broken, shouldn't get an X-ray? That a person in severe pain shouldn't get it checked? That a person with chest pain should give it time to heal itself?

I wouldn't want to see Dr. Doyle in the ER.

JIM EGER
Heidelberg

Not so simple

As Dr. Thomas A. Doyle's commentary "Suck It Up, America" (Oct. 11 Forum) suggests, some Americans have become "whining hypochondriacs" within our "immediate gratification" society, which in turn has led to our problem of overconsumption of health care and the consequent increase in health-care spending.

Indeed curbing the overuse of health care would be a necessary step in any effective reform.

However, by focusing on the "nation of anxious wimps" we are becoming, the article has missed the critical and much more complex question. Why is this happening?

• Modern health care has greater efficacy. While it is true that a member of the Greatest Generation would likely have been loath to go to the emergency room for a nosebleed, any sensible person would have avoided Depression-era medicine, which was as likely to kill you, due to lack of sanitation, as cure you.

• Advertising permeates our culture. Even where medicine hasn't become more effective (see fen-phen), pharmaceutical companies inundate Americans with advertising. Should it be surprising that Americans want a quick fix when the first thing they see when turning on a TV or opening a magazine is how there is a pill to fix whatever ails them?

The reality is that the increase in demand for health care is not going to be stopped through good intentions or stern words. A major overhaul of the health-care system is needed with a focus on evidence-based medicine.

DEREK SYE
Oakland

The writer is a student in the health law program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

Our obligation

Dr. William P. Follansbee's commentary "The Health-Care Debate Betrays Our Heritage" (Oct. 4 Forum) should prompt Americans to examine our feelings about our obligations to our fellow citizens. For us not to somehow be able to develop a system of health care that makes everyone eligible for basic care is disappointing and -- it seems to me -- very un-American. As Dr. Follansbee points out, our heritage is "individual sacrifice for the collective good."

When every other developed country, and many developing countries, provide care for all their citizens, how did the United States miss the boat?

I am particularly mystified by some of those on Medicare (as am I) who seem to feel that what we have (good quality care with many choices) should not be provided to other citizens. With the resources of this grand country, we should be able to figure out a way to do that, without bankrupting ourselves. If Germany, Great Britain, Sweden, Japan, Canada and France can do it, we can, too.

JEANNE M. HANCHETT
Oakland

Physicians' role

In regard to Dr. William P. Follansbee's article "The Health-Care Debate Betrays Our Heritage" (Oct. 4): The good doctor sure blows a lot of smoke about the ailing health-care system but does not take any responsibility for his years of contribution to a failing health system.

As compared to other successful health-care systems, i.e., France and Japan, the current American system has been running out of control by a number of factors, one being the highly inflated cost of physician services as compared to other countries.

I believe if you would have gone to the good doctor's office now or in the past, you would not have seen any price list for his services or if you asked the price of the service, he would not be able to provide the answer. Not only have the physicians' services been inflated, but total administrative costs are approximately 15 percent to 18 percent higher than any other nation.

The good doctor wants to blame this on politicians, but it is the physician and pharmaceutical industry lobbies that do not want a change. History in America has shown that when the rich get richer, they only want to blame the problem on the middle-class citizens and not take responsibility on their own.

RADE MALKOVICH
Weirton, W.Va.

Libraries are public treasures; we can't allow them to close

The other day I walked to the library and asked the librarian if she could help me with a problem I was having with my computer, since I am far from savvy. Twenty minutes later I knew exactly what to do.

The week before last I borrowed (for free!) three videos, after ordering them online. Again, just a short walk. Sometimes I just stop in to read the recent issue of a particular magazine. When I was in high school, I would often get help with assignments. I have even researched my family tree and found copies of old forgotten music that could not be found anywhere else.

We mustn't forget what a treasure we have in our neighborhood libraries. If we lose even one, what a shame! And shame on us for letting it happen.

By the way, I have not yet attended a game at either of the new stadiums, nor have I been to the casino or the G-20 conference, not that I don't hope to do so someday, but, heck, the library is right in my own neighborhood!

Oh, and thank you, Post-Gazette, for keeping us so well informed on the issue of the planned library closings.

CHARLES JESSEN
Brookline

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