Mark Lopatin is a rheumatologist and author of Rheum for Improvement: The Evolution of a Health-Care Advocate.

Publicity and sharing our experiences are our best tools against legal injustice

Physician
January 24, 2022


An excerpt from Rheum for Improvement: The Evolution of a Health-Care Advocate.

Their expert witness, “Dr. Z,” was simply a hired gun willing to do their bidding for a price. He had completed only one year of a rotating internship in family practice in the 1960s. He had not done a residency and had no rheumatology training. He had not seen …

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Publicity and sharing our experiences are our best tools against legal injustice

This physician is retiring. Here’s his most valuable lesson.

Physician
December 15, 2020

In a few weeks, I will be retiring.  After 31 years and more than 100,000 patient visits, I will be hanging up my stethoscope.  Over the years, there have been tremendous highs but also horrible lows.  The latter includes having been victimized by a frivolous lawsuit where my patient suffered injuries attributed to a medicine prescribed by another doctor.  I was named in the suit, simply …

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This physician is retiring. Here’s his most valuable lesson.

Will COVID-19 stop the devaluation of physicians?

Conditions
April 1, 2020

About a year ago, I wrote about how physicians are being devalued. More recently, I posted on my Facebook page how, in the current time of need, physicians are suddenly being valued more. I noted how in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the powers that be are turning to the same physicians to lead us out of the crisis. I alluded to compromises being contemplated …

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Will COVID-19 stop the devaluation of physicians?

Are physicians allowed to be human?

Physician
January 22, 2020

I knew Friday was not going to be a good day.

A leak in the ceiling of my family room.   A pet who would need surgery.  I was already stressed well before Friday.

But at work, the issues started on Thursday with an osteoporotic patient for whom I had recommended Forteo, six weeks earlier.  It was denied by her insurer who wanted Tymlos instead.   No big deal.  We simply precerted Tymlos, but …

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Are physicians allowed to be human?

The devaluation of physicians

Policy
June 19, 2019

Chip Kelly was a former coach and general manager of my beloved Philadelphia Eagles. He was a firm believer in his “system” and felt that his players were disposable and easily replaced.  Because of that, he proceeded to trade away or release very talented players and replace them with less talented players.  Needless to say that without the talent, the team self-destructed, the fans were angered, and it was only …

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The devaluation of physicians

Why politics and patients don’t mix

Policy
April 10, 2017

So the American Health Care Act was rejected.    And I want to scream!   Not because it failed, but instead because of the way the whole thing was handled.  While both parties will argue that they were trying to do what is best for the American public, I disagree.  As a physician, what I see are two forces who are more intent on winning a battle than in helping the public.   …

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Why politics and patients don’t mix

Society must decide what it wants from health insurance

Physician
March 7, 2016

Jeffrey Lurie is the owner of my beloved Philadelphia Eagles.   He pays the players.  He picks the coaches.  But I think we would agree that his checkbook should not allow him to be the one who calls the offensive plays.  The coach should do that.

So why is it different in health care?

I have a patient who was diagnosed with polymyositis.  Polymyositis is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of muscles …

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Society must decide what it wants from health insurance