| Show Give Our Doctors a Break UTAH has lost 22 out of every of its v t V physicians since Pearl Harbor At the same s 's same me time that this reduction in medical personnel per- per has been taking place the population of this state has increased by an art estimated 20 per cent and in addition people have more money to spend for medical service and they naturally tend to seek more of it That tells the story of Utah's medical s service problem If for example we had formerly for for- v merly doctors to take care of people ople today we have 78 doctors to take care of of people who because they have the money want more medical service than they had before That means almost double the load per doctor doctor and and in some areas where the population pop pop- lation has increased enormously it is even more more than double the load oad For instance in one Utah area there are 38 doctors where there used to be 52 but population is about 65 65 per cent greater Doctors in Utah are overworked overworked badly badly overworked Most of them are putting in 12 and 14 hours a day They have almost no noi i opportunity for rest and relaxation yet the job of a ph physician or or surgeon dealing with many many different persons and problems deciding matters of life and death is a great strain Rest est and relaxation are as necessary as food and sleep Medical men en accustomed to worrying about the health and well-being well of others are now concerned about the members of their own profession The overworked d doctors may not be able to carry carryon on under this terrific bur bur- den Most of the doctors left on the home front are older men The younger ones are with the armed forces Many of the older doctors under normal conditions would be retiring retiring retiring re re- re- re tiring or easing up on their practices turning more more and more of their work over to younger men That's impossible now and it will be impossible until after the war because young doctors graduating from froin medical schools will willbe willbe ill be be going straight into the armed services The average age of doctors left teft in Utah is estimated by William Howard executive executive tive five secretary of the Utah State Medical association association as as- association at 48 Many men 60 and older are working harder than they have in years Every doctor on the home front today is doing his utmost most utmost most of them doing more than they really should If were we're wise well we'll do everything in our power power to ease that load These doctors who are left i in Utah are all were we're going to have for forthe forthe forthe the durations duration There is n no hope of replace replace- ment If we kill them off with overwork well we'll just have to get along without them From a purely selfish standpoint every Utahn should make it a point to give the doctors doctors doc doc- t tors rs a break There are many ways ays you can cando cando cando do it One of the most important is to avoid home calls as much as possible A doctor can handle three calls at his office for every on one at home In making office calls make appointments appointments appointments appoint appoint- ments in advance especially is this this' true Jf you Ou are from out of town Avoid 1 night n calls except in case of a real emergency emergency the doctors need sleep more t than an ever now Dont Don't pester doctors unnecessarily s rily for minor ailments or imaginary ill ill ill- nesses Home nursing as taught in the various various various va va- va- va rious Red Cross courses will help in taking care I of many many minor troubles for which a doctor might normally be called Of course home nursing has its limits and a doctor should certainly certainly certainly be called if there is anything that looks that looks as as if it might be serious Last and perhaps most important guard your personal health s sd that you wont won't get sick Providing adequate medical care for the civilian population during this war is going to be a real problem We can all help to solve it An Understanding of the doctors' doctors burden an appreciation of what they are doing and a determination on the part of each one of us r Ato t to relieve that burden as much as possible is isI I lathe best answer I |
