FW: Important PBS series in March
From: Ross, Diana (Diana.Ross@va.gov)
Mon Jan 28 16:43:07 2008
Michael Moore's "Sicko" hit me pretty hard.
However, after seeing it I was mildly obsessed about it for days....
I asked myself..."How did these systems get to be so totally different?"
It should be understood that the history of our country is quite
different from Europe, Canada and Cuba, and our health problems are
different.
I want to point out that Europe has gone through several episodes of
ethnic cleansing in the last century or so. Europe and Russia were
literally cleansed of Jews, gypsies, homosexuals and other groups. This
went on for more than a century, with the greatest number demolished
during WWII. If one wasn't killed there, they became refugees and fled
to other countries, like the USA or Israel. Some went to England on
their way to the USA and others went to South America.
I am speaking of WWI, WWII, pogroms in Russia and Poland, etc.
Furthermore, Europe witnessed approx 60 million deaths in WWII alone.
We've had no such massive death in this country. I would say that
during the recovery after WWII, European labor movements were much more
powerful and this is how they got the benefits they have today.
And so we, in the Americas have the populations that Europe has
eliminated along with our own native populations. We are a nation of
immigrants and native americans. Therefore we are genetically somewhat
different from the Europeans and Canadians. Diabetes and obesity are
rampant in the USA in part because of genetics. As for Canadians, they
have nowhere near the diversity in population that we do and somehow not
the number of European immigrants that we have.
Cuba, too, went through some "ethnic cleansing" when a huge population
left the country about 50 years ago, and continues to leave. Again, it
is mostly the Cubans of European ancestry who have left the country.
And, of course, their Socialist system was put in place at the demand of
the populace.
All this is to say that when Europe, Canada and Cuba are compared to the
USA, the comparisons are not quite fair.
My father was a refugee as was my grandfather.
All this is something to consider when comparing the epidemiology of
populations.
We all know that our system is inferior in many ways to these other
systems, but it should be remembered that those lessons came to them at
a very high price.... I looked it up...72million died in WWII, of which
only about 1/2million were from the USA.
All this and I didn't mention the heritage of slavery that we still live
with today.....
Michael Moore's movie is a true eye-opener, but I wish he had added this
perspective to his movie.....
Check out my figures here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II_casualties
I would love to hear what others think on this topic. I hope no one
thinks I am debunking the basic message of "Sicko"....just putting in
some perspective. I have a big interest in social anthropology.
Diana
________________________________
From: ultrasound@obgyn.net [mailto:ultrasound@obgyn.net] On Behalf Of
--
________________________________
Terry DuBose
Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2008 12:11 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list ULTRASOUND
Subject: Re: Important PBS series in March
"...the wisdom of reimbursement systems which pay for procedures, not
for the physicians' time is anything but wise. I could go on ..."
Art, I wish you would go on. I agree that DRGs have not helped anyone.
But one point I would like to hear more about is whether big business is
more humane than big government when it comes to health care. No doubt
our health care system is broken, or at lease not functioning as well as
we would like. Perhaps health care would be better if it were more
like our fire stations. Capitalism works for me when I am kicking
tires and shopping for a car on a nice, sunny afternoon; but bargaining
for the best deal during a heart attack doesn't sound good.
This is the year we need to discuss these matters in the USA. Perhaps
some of our participants in countries with "socialized medicine" can
give us their opinions.
Peace, Terry
"art fougner, md" <evsono@pipeline.com> wrote:
Perhaps the series will investigate the wisdom of State Medicaid
Programs utilizing HMO's to administer the program, that absent
meaningful tort reform ( eg. Health Courts), all healthcare
budgeting
is doomed, and that the wisdom of reimbursement systems which
pay for
procedures, not for the physicians' time is anything but wise. I
could
go on ...
Ultimately, it's like Moore's Sicko - his diagnosis is correct.
The
cure, however, is far from straightforward.
Art
At Thu, 24 Jan 2008, DuBose, Terry wrote:
>
>We need to spread the word about this PBS series that will be
broadcast in
>March. Please watch the preview on this web page:
>
>http://www.unnaturalcauses.org/clipmenu.html?agree=0
>
>http://www.unnaturalcauses.org/
>
>I am on a committee here at UAMS working on disparities in
health care. We
>are showing the trailer for the series and it is important.
Please spread
>the word.
>
>I just got off the phone with Dan Koops at AETN (Arkansas) and
he said they
>ARE airing Unnatural Causes and this is the schedule:
>
>All showings will be at 9pm on Thursday night. They will also
be showing the
>documentary about the Marshallese (A New Island) at 8pm on the
last night
>when they show that episode.
>
>3/27 at 9 pm - the first episode
>
>4/3 - 2nd and 3rd episode
>
>4/10 - 4th and 5th
>
>4/17 - 6th and 7th
>
>Check your local PBS schedule for your area. Thanks Terry
>
>Terry J. DuBose, M.S., RDMS, FSDMS, FAIUM
>
>Associate Professor & Director
>Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program
>University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, CHRP
>4301 West Markham St. Mail Slot #563
>Little Rock, Arkansas, 72205 USA
>501-686-6510 or 501-686-5948
>DuBoseTerryJ@UAMS.edu
>http://www.uams.edu/chrp/sonography/
>http://www.obgyn.net/us/panel/panel.htm
>http://www.io.com/~dubose/
>---------------------------------------------------------------
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------
>________________________________
>---------------------------------------------------------------
>---------------------------------------------------------------
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------
>---------------------------------------------------------------
>From: Stewart, Mary K "Kate"
>Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2008 3:20 PM
>To: DuBose, Terry; Colley, S Dianne; Long, Hosea; Nash,
Creshelle R; Sparks,
>Carla C; Sanders, Willa B; Levitskaya, Angelina G
>Subject: Re: VERY VERY GOOD NEWS!
>
>Yes absolutely!
>
>M. Kate Stewart, MD, MPH
>
>Assoc. Prof., Dept. Health Policy & Management and
>
>Director, Office of Community Based Public Health
>
>Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health
>
>University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
>
>4301 W. Markham Street, Slot 820
>
>Little Rock, AR 72205
>
>Email: stewartmaryk@uams.edu
>
>Phone: 501-526-6625
>
>Fax: 501-526-6620
>
>________________________________
>
>________________________________
>From: DuBose, Terry
>
>--
>________________________________
>Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2008 2:58 PM
>________________________________
>R;
>Sparks, Carla C; Sanders, Willa B; Levitskaya, Angelina G
>Subject: Re: VERY VERY GOOD NEWS!
>
>Excellent! So we can start spreading the work now, correct?
>
>Thanks Terry
>
>Terry J. DuBose, M.S., RDMS, FSDMS, FAIUM
>
>Associate Professor & Director
>Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program
>University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, CHRP
>4301 West Markham St. Mail Slot #563
>Little Rock, Arkansas, 72205 USA
>501-686-6510 or 501-686-5948
>DuBoseTerryJ@UAMS.edu
>http://www.uams.edu/chrp/sonography/
>http://www.obgyn.net/us/panel/panel.htm
>http://www.io.com/~dubose/
>---------------------------------------------------------------
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------
>________________________________
>---------------------------------------------------------------
>---------------------------------------------------------------
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------
>---------------------------------------------------------------
>From: Stewart, Mary K "Kate"
>Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2008 12:42 PM
>To: Colley, S Dianne; Long, Hosea; Nash, Creshelle R; Sparks,
Carla C;
>Sanders, Willa B; Levitskaya, Angelina G; DuBose, Terry
>Subject: VERY VERY GOOD NEWS!
>
>I just got off the phone with Dan Koops at AETN and he said
they ARE airing
>Unnatural Causes and this is the schedule:
>
>All showings will be at 9pm on Thursday night. They will also
be showing the
>documentary about the Marshallese (A New Island) at 8pm on the
last night
>when they show that episode.
>
>3/27 at 9 pm - the first episode
>
>4/3 - 2nd and 3rd episode
>
>4/10 - 4th and 5th
>
>4/17 - 6th and 7th
>
>He was VERY enthusiastic about helping out and trying to find
ways to get
>this thing seen. I'm feeling VERY encouraged. More about that
soon,
>
>Kate
>
>M. Kate Stewart, MD, MPH
>
>Assoc. Prof., Dept. Health Policy & Management and
>
>Director, Office of Community Based Public Health
>
>Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health
>
>University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
>
>4301 W. Markham Street, Slot 820
>
>Little Rock, AR 72205
>
>Email: stewartmaryk@uams.edu
>
>Phone: 501-526-6625
>
>Fax: 501-526-6620
>
>message.
>
--
art fougner, md
"May The Wings of Liberty Never Lose a Feather." - Jack Burton
