Comments on: Doctors’ Shortage: Why Doctors Are the Main Problem

By: Albert M. Balesh, M.D.

Albert M. Balesh, M.D. — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:07:00 +0000

Bah, humbug! I don’t believe a word. A holier-than-thou attitude on the part of U.S. physicians vying for precious health care dollars is the reason why I, an American citizen, cannot obtain a medical residency in my own country. By keeping the number of residency positions down, discriminating against American citizens trained abroad, and allowing swarms of foreign national physicians to take positions from American citizens, the powers that be are slitting their own throats. Pretty soon foreign national physicians will make a piece of the pie even smaller for those powers. God helps those who help themselves, and foreign interests have helped themselves to America for nothing other than the American dollar. To hell with the health of Americans!

By: roxane sanders md

roxane sanders md — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:30:18 +0000

I agree with dr. lenard. JC likens the control of the numbers of doctors and the arduous credentialing process to limiting supply and price fixing. Becoming and practicing as a physician is expensive hard work, and it should be. The controls are in place to increase quality and competence. Few physicians have influence over the number of training program slots and most of us would welcome a little help with our waiting lists of prospective patients. With rising malpractice rates and declining insurance reimbursement and physician income, there is little evidence for the economic control concept.

By: alexander lenard, md spine surgeon

alexander lenard, md spine surgeon — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 01:46:44 +0000

Your assertions are comical. When a primary care doctor can expect to make 80k per year after borrowing 150k and starting his career in his early 30’s, why would he or she do it? Further, throw in the fact that you can sue him him for any reason, whether he was right or wrong, and you have your reason for loss of supply.