Regarding the article on Public Citizen rankings:
Does its study take into account things like differences in education levels, socio-economic levels, attitudes toward physicians or other healthcare providers, and general ideas about litigation between the states?
I have been involved clinically and administratively in hospitals in every size, type, ownership and setting for a little over 40 years. While I cannot scientifically prove it, I can tell you that even today in some settings, the physician is practically revered and people are not going to complain.
Example: An individual visiting a physician in a clinic in a critical access/sole community provider hospital is very unlikely to complain about anything. At the same time an individual in a highly competitive healthcare market is much more likely to complain. In some settings, the patients overcomplain, and in others they undercomplain.
The whole thing is good for a headline for a few days but really seems defective as written.
Tom Madrin
Kennesaw, Ga.Comment on today’s news or other matters. Submit your letter to the Daily Dialogue at [email protected]. Submissions must include name, title, affiliation, city and state. Modern Healthcare reserves the right to edit all submissions.