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Poke, while that was a very nice description of your typhoon-evac, please go back and read my previous posts, since you seemed to have glossed-over the points I made:
After accusing me of making up outrages and imagining things from actual events that harmed REAL PEOPLE (otherwise, I couldn't have cared other than the expense for vanity surgery, and even not cared at that cost so long as it was done right and the training was useful), you seem certain I don't know anything about it, in the meantime going beyond reason, yourself, in your examples. That's inappropriate, unwarranted, and incorrect. While I'm certainly limited in military beauracracy, and haven't stated a knowledge of such, I have enough contact with both the medical and military communities, both literary and personal, to have a sense of what's good and what's bad with the system, from their own experiences. When it comes to medicine, you don't only just hear about the BAD experiences, people praise the successes, too, because the patients are very thankful for the work performed, and this praise is frustratingly lacking from the military.
Now, since you wanted a question, here it is: Do dependents also have to go through the same paperwork system, and is it as extensive and time-consuming as their active duty counterparts? If it IS easier and faster for a dependent, we all know how important appearance and vanity can become to some people, or through insult or social pressure. Like I said, it's subtle pressures by the physician,"Well, we should do this, or I'd really recommend that, etc." basically leading the patient to take up their offer for something unecessary. You don't have to go global e-mail, it's right there in front of them in the office. I've actually seen this happen to me and to other friends in different areas, so I know it DOES happen. Again, in the military, if you lose currency (which doesn't mean you're skilled at it, and "qualified" is just piece of paper) it's a bad thing, so if you need ex-number of bodies, and you can't get sued for it, why the hell not get'em on the table? It's a case where even if it ain't broke, why not try to fix it? But, hey, if they've got 50 other people saying "No," they're probably protecting the patient, if nothing else.
Back to your can of worms, Mattlott indicated mil-docs already work at civilian hospitals, and visa-versa, and I've already stated my belief is to have the surgeon's paycheck come from the military (which it does anyway, so no greater expense to take away from 'phoon-evac. As for materials, cleaning personel, etc, I don't know, perhaps Mattlott does, but I'm sure that's been taken care of, as well. It brings the question of what's less expensive, too, the supplies brought by the civilian hospital or from the military one? If the civilian hospital is less expensive, then it obviously behooves the military to go that route). Obviously, somebody's worked it out, and it inspires me to know we're closer to Utopia than originally suspected. As to malpractice, I'll ask another question, this one aimed at Mattlott, aren't the hospitals the entities that are covered by insurance, rather than the docs individually, or is it a combination of both? If this is the case, wouldn't the mil-docs maintaining currency most likely be covered by the hospital and under HEAVY oversight by the civilian hospital, to do things right the first time? If they are given better oversight, they will learn more, and do a better job. Now, Poke, you may be willing to roll-over for the the current system, however flawed it may be or who it may harm, but I'm just not comfortable sticking people with questionable physicians who aren't accountable, and offering "free" vanity services as an incentive for people to try them. That's just not taking care of your people, and I'm sorry if the fact my concern offends you. If the mil-docs have obviously failed, maybe the military should have the decency to ship the patient out to a civilian hospital to repair the damage, rather than having a military one compound it, further costing more money and time lost on paperwork? I just don't believe beauracracy and money should outweigh the Hippocratic Oath. And, going back to the origins of this thread, if "Defense money is for defense," then they should be using it for defense, and not vanity.
The bottom line for me, is I just want to see a trustworthy, accountable system that inspires confidence in the people that have no real choice but to use it. Our service people have earned and deserve that, without question, and obviously aren't receiving it. You don't get that by staying silent and keeping things the way they are, you get that by exploring alternatives, and keeping the ones that work. I also know that a LOT of very good docs either go through or come out of the military, and that my grandfather says his service helped him save MANY lives he probably couldn't have, otherwise. I honestly hope if you, or anyone for that matter, are ever found in need, that you're pleased to enjoy the best possible service and can taunt me about my made up outrage and imagination backed by your good experiences. I'd more than welcome it.
Livin' life in the fast lane and just passed a blur reading "BRIDGE OUT!"
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