Show ac!--- I a6ftn1r-wiu1-o-a u 'IP'0-''°''- aA06WWI4Ok'4t'r-i00va4 - '‘ ' 1 22A The Salt Lake Tribune Sunday November The Public Forum 11 1990 Common Carrier Tribune Readers' Opinions Is Medical Protection Needed? have increased 450 percent in the 10 years Mr Oslowski states that two out of three claims made against physicians through their insurance organization are dismissed without payment to the patient Sen Orrin Hatch has proposed a bill to limit malpractice settlements' Do we the patients really believe that medical costs will be cut because malpractice premiums are less? Are physicians going to apply these savings to the bill the AMA would like passed to provide medical coverage of the indigent at taxpayers' expense? Is the AMA contributing anything to these generous offers? Or are we the taxpayers paying twice plus our own medical costs to pad By Marie Hook ' A Salt Lake Tribune poll conduct4 ' ed by Bards ley & Neidhart calculated that only 38 percent of Utahns are satisfied with their physician The American Medical Association in April of 1990 released a poll conducted by the AMA in a national sur' vey which concluded that 85 percent '" of patients nationally claim overall 1- ' 1 --- : tz i — Ak 44 4 i satisfaction with their doctor I doubt that 85 percent of any f: group anywhere agrees on anything t 41"::401:t However supposing The Tribune &i Loosammevo t :i''' e 4 14 ) pollsters were correct what can we 1 1 4 do about it? How do we react to a 1 doctor who has failed our trust? The ideal approach to resolving tVv this problem is to talk with the doc"" - "9 t ' tor Fortunately there are physicians in Utah who will listen Many will not If talking is not successful one alternative is to notify the Utah Medical Association The method of Marie Hook attempting to attract the attention of the UMA is to make a complaint in a period of 10 years has required diswriting ciplining for unethical andor dishonorable behavior In my opinion this is an indication that the stated Today's Common Carrier author is Marie Hook 1607 E Dawn Drive procedures of the UMA leave much to be desired Salt Lake City Utah 84121 Mrs Hook Is a nadve of Indiana who UMA complaints are not made moved to Utah in 1975 For the public past 30 years she has been emThe primary concern of the Utah ployed in the medical field as an of Occupational and Department office manager In Indiana she Professional Licensing (DOPL) acwas office manager for a group of to Steve Davis chief of buneurologists After moving to cording is to aid the pubreau investigations cardioUtah she was employed by lic in general This bureau is vascular surgeons and she later responsible to ensure that the physibecame office manager for the cians in Utah fulfill the educational Utah Orthopaedic Associates requirements for licensing in the where she remained until her restate and it regulates the profession 31 views The Dec 1989 tirement under Utah law expressed in the article are the If you desire to go on record with personal views of the author your complaint at DOPL you need to write it A patient may write the In October 1988 Leon Sorenson DOPL without filing a malpractice executive vice president of the UMA and without notifying the UMA suit an article subtitled Mr Davis stated these complaints "Doctor Disciplining in Utah" for state news- are filed in the doctor's history and the Bulletin an letter The article discusses the pro- handled in the priority scheme of the department cedure the UMA employs investigatIf the DOPL is required to investiing a complaint from a "disgruntled gate a complaint against a physician patient" If a hearing is deemed advisable the physician is brought to hearing "the before a peer review committee conby the UMA representative of seven people six of whom is a physician allowed hearing along sisting with legal counsel witnesses and are doctors The decision of the peer review committee is passed on to the documentation to support his action" Nothing is mentioned in the director of the DOPL who is aparticle about the patient's right to pointed by the governor The direcwitnesses documentation and legal tor may or may not take the recomm e nd a tion of the peer review counsel or his presence at the hearcommittee Unless this hearing is Mr with a In conversation ing phone was I Sorenson assured the patient held and action taken the result is is invited to attend the hearing and not made public If for example the result is that the patient also has the right to witnesses documentation and legal the doctor is "disciplined" for subcounsel at the patient's expense In stance abuse he will be put on pro at least one documented instance bation for an agreed-upo- n period of however the patient was advised by time A potential patient could obMr Sorenson to complete legal actain this information by observing the physician's license which will tion before approaching the UMA If the patient is unique and fortu- note if he is currently on "probanate enough to get a hearing it can tion" A patient may also call the DOPL and ask for information about be expensive and time consuming a specific physician The record of results is not overmalThe records of whelmingly in the patient's favor The UMA investigates complaints practice insurance settlements are of ethical behavior and standards of not made public The Utah Medical honorable conduct accepted by Insurance Association (UMIA) a 10malpractice inmembers There are committees year-ol- d with chairpersons that investigate surance company covers about '75 percent of the physicians in Utah quality assurance medical mismanand of substance Martin Oslowski president and agement suspicion abuse The article indicates that only chief executive officer of the UMIA one doctor in approximately 2000 in indicates insurance premium rates ' ( ti: Yi 1: :t: rt non-prof- it Common Carrier Rules Opinions expressed in Common Carrier do not necessarily reflect those of The Salt Lake Tribune or the Common Carrier Board of Lay Editors which operates independently of The Tribune editorial and reportorial policies The board seeks articles from all segments of the community Articles need not be professionally prepared but should be between 950 and 1200 words long and and double spaced pertain to the economic political and social wellbeing of the Intermountain Area Articles should be timely have a be typed They should basic idea promote dialogue and be challenging "open letters" are not acceptable Material should be mailed to Common Carrier The Salt Lake Tribune PO Box 867 Salt Lake City Utah 84110 d the pockets of the medical profession? Malpractice suits can provide only money to compensate for a doctor's mistakes andor negligence Acceptseting payment in an tlement for a malpractice suit legally leaves the charges against the physician as though they never happened The physician has not been disciplined Usually malpractice cases are settled behind closed doors and the record is closed to the public Malpractice premiums pay for the physician's privacy and secrecy required to maintain his reputation among his colleagues and his patients The patient pays the malpractice premiums for all doctors good and bad when he pays his bill The doctor retains the opportunity to repeat whatever misconduct has been established in the settlement because no charges have actually been brought against him If for instance a patient was sexually abused by a physician and charges were established to the extent the patient was offered and received monetary settlement nothing has been done to prevent that physician from abusing other patients rt rt Although doctors necessarily make life and death decisions in their professional capacity doctors are not God they are human beings like the rest of us Some of them tell lies some make honest mistakes some will alter hospital and office records or "misplace" records Some may have met the licensing requirements but do not doctor effectively because they lack the sensitivity and empathy necessary in good doctoring The body is our most priceless possession Should we place it in the care of one who does not care? There are good doctors and I hope the 62 percent (if the Tribune poll has merit) will help present and potential patients in Utah discipline andor remove doctors who lack honorable conduct and ethical behavior by speaking up and speaking out If you are a patient who has become dissatisfied with your doctor tell him why You may also write the UMAandor p fi 0 - Edward McDonough I war-makin- g Edward McDonough Is a lawyer practicing In Salt Lake City Although the War Powers Act is still on the books its effectiveness is primarily as a mechanism for getting Congress involved in the president's decisions to make war The War Powers Act says that the president must report to Congress within 48 hours of committing US troops "into hostilities or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances" The president must then obtain congressional approval of the use of armed forces within 90 days or the troops must be withdrawn In 1983 President Reagan got a resolution from Congress under the War Powers Act authorizing continued "participation by United States armed forces in the multinational force in Lebanon" In 1984 Reagan not only failed to get a resolution under the War Powers Act authorizing the use of US troops in Central America he got resolutions from Congress specifically forbidding American military involvement in the region A congressional resolution passed in October of 1984 said that "United States armed forces should not be introduced into or over the countries of Central America for combat" What the Reagan administration did was finance military operations in Central America through sales of arms to Iran Attempts to use the courts to enforce the War Powers Act have not been successful Judges have shown - after my little boy" persist ' I "He's active the way you'd expect an to be And he waS wearing me out I needed to no : be - 1 t ' 1 ' 'i'''' t '" ' 1 14) '1 7 r 1 N - v4?4t' : it N! 1 A 'i 4K r:4 i ':litit ' ii - ' ::: r 4 f 0' 1 - 1 1 4 k- ' "-- ' -' A "1" : t114' tt 7 '' t- 11 7 - - 4 t : '' 'N Ni ' I! k " - —rge'w i vAI 4 it (194ftvg"I I ‘''''''1--v:416 r---- --4 Try 7 the NutriSystem Crave-Free"Weig- 41 7 - e 2 : il i:A '41114 t r7- t v:: k v 113Aactil Vt: i t ti - i 3 I I: - 444444 L -t V441-- 11 tz:t ' 4 4 !'''- - 1 4 t '!'t i Today I have so much energy I play racquetball with my husband three days a week and chase a fter my son seven days a week Losing weight has made everyone in the family happy Especially me" k e! i - - knew they could oT 0 - P made sense k 15 4 - INl '‘1- ' I help me The whole program tcN1441 k1 -'' - k' v -' 6 't4 v '4 better shape NutriSystem st il'h in '' The minute I set foot in ' - t It ht Loss Program that includes a variety of delicious meals and Craving Contror snacks nutritional and behavioral counseling light activity and weight maintenance '' f j ' litti H l'i' Cali Today ) v- D ? I 1 1 1 i' 1 i 1 i tk - aT We Succeed Where i - 11 IL 1 ! ‘ i -4 Our client Michelle chandler lost 75 lbs I 1 ‘ Don't Wait marked reluctance to get into the middle of a fight between the president and the Congress In 1983 members of Congress sued President Reagan in federal court challenging the legality of the US presence in and military assistance to El Salvador The lawsuit claimed that the president's acts violated the War Powers Act and the US Constitution The court dismissed the case saying it had no jurisdiction to decide a "political question" In 1984 11 members of Congress sued President Reagan in federal court saying that the invasion of Grenada was a violation of the constitutional provision that gives Congress the power to declare war This time when the court dismissed the case it told Congress that it had its own remedies: invoking the War Powers Act withholding appropriations enacting specific legislation (as it had in the case of El Salvador) or even impeaching the president As the congressional investigaa affair imtions of the plied impeachment is always a possibility when the president runs away with the power to make var Point of Law is published for in formation purposes only and should not be used as legal advice You should see your own lawyer for speific legal opinion I have watched the debate concerning women in the men's locker room with great interest To me it does not speak of sexual discrimination but of the violation of protected rights — namely the men's right to privacy Whether you are male or female how would you like someone staring onward as you attempted to shower? There would be a loud uproar if men asked to be admitted to women's locker rooms Isn't it sexist not to give this same consideration to the male of the species? Let's give our sports stars the privacy and respect they deserve Press rooms are for reporters not the shower stalls KERRI LEE ADAMS Salt Lake City "I lost 75 lbs with Nutri7System Now I have the energy to go running- a prevention to future problems try to have a close friend or family member present as an advo- a Let 'em Shower 1 4 - Let Me Disagree have just applied for US citizenship which is a privilege As one of the prerequisites for naturalization I am required to learn well my rights and obligations under the Constitution of the United States which strongly upholds religious freedom and free lawful speech Some writers of recent Forum let-te- n were critical of my Sept 19 letter which voiced my objections to prayer to a Mormon God to such an extent that they would have denied me my rights to have this letter published I would say to these persons: Disagree with me or anyone else all you please but don't try to suppress an opinion on religion different to your own and then pretend to be responsible citizens of this country HELEN RADKEY Salt Lake City I AMEMBAL I Aiding Enemy charged by attorneys but to no avail LONNIE D CROCKETT West Jordan Salt Lake City I: The letter from Jim Craig director of public relations for American Petroleum Institute Washington DC (Forum Oct 17) was an insult to the citizens of this country Why didn't he explain why some energy companies have already posted earnings in excess of 200 percent over the same period prior to the Iraq invasion of Kuwait? In the war I helped fight aid and comfort to the enemy was called treason The price of gasoline and heating oil in the country today Is certainly giving much aid and comfort to the enemy! SIDNEY C BIRDSLEY Salt Lake City "unreasonable fees and costs" pro-anim- 1 The United States Congress in 1973 alarmed that the war in Vietnam got started and grew without Congress declaring war passed the War Powers Resolution in order the president from taking us into war without giving proper deference to the fact that the Constitution reserves the powers to Congress The War Powers Act has not been entirely successful Since 1973 US presidents have made war with and without complying with the War Powers Act and courts have been reluctant to enforce the act against the executive branch of government hired the court reporter complaining "We just don't believe it's reasonable" referring to the costs the court reporter demanded and Judge Uno ordered to be paid Where do attorneys get off complaining about "unreasonable fees and costs" when attorneys are unquestionably the one group of pro fessionals most guilty of charging "unreasonable fees and costs?" We the general public have been complaining for decades about the vis-a-v- is As Presidents Must Respect War Resolution When I hear my fellow students talking in the locker room about drugs it makes me so mad Kids are dumb to throw their lives away They think they like to get "high" but then they get hooked and the addiction grows worse They want the drugs but can't afford them so they turn to stealing and prostitution to pay for their addiction Drugs shorten lives ruin brains and ruin the unborn children's chances for a normal body Those kids should learn from what drugs have done to others and not do drugs MONICA RICHARDSON Salt Lake City that the Salt Lake County Attorney's Office claims it was "held hostage" by Judge Raymond Uno's order that the state foot certain costs of a court reporter to come to Utah and correct deficiencies in a transcript of the Menzies murder trial We find the attorneys who 1 Don't Do Drugs High Fee Indeed David Cook's letter (Forum Oct 14) soliciting a ietter from me (or the likes of me) certainly warrants a response! Mr Cook feebly tries to suggest that "hunting is not synonymous with killing" and that "sportsmen have developed respect and admiration for wildlife" What a bunch of hogwash! Most anyone who hunts kills Also you do not annihilate defense less creatures that you respect and admire Webster (dictionary) defines a sportsman as one who is fair and genwildlife erous The hunter is neither The hunter is the antithesis of a true sportsman I am not aware of a sport where one of the players is not aware that a contest is taking place and does not have the same equipment Modem-da- y hunting takes an annual toll of millions — animals killed or wounded in a yearly orgy of ter ror crippling suffering and death This mayhem is promoted and sanctioned by government agencies on behalf of a 7 percent minority special interest group for whom they are pimping away our wildlife heritage We are because we are rights We speak on behalf of those that are continually persecuted for profit or for fun Hunting just as rodeos and circuses is virtually nothing more than blatant commercial exploitation of a weaker species P six-da- I read with amusement Answers Hunters eventually suffer if "bad doctoring" cate when seeing any physician Help us all by reporting incompetency medical mismanagement and dishonesty in the medical profession Perhaps no one will listen and your credibility may be challenged by a less credible physician and he will under the present system undoubtedly be protected by his colleagues Ultimately you may feel the need to seek legal counsel This too may be difficult if monetary gain is not substantially guaranteed At least you will have the satisfaction of having tried to save someone else from the harm you have suffered if you have done your best to pursue all available channels in the attempt to right a wrong through speaking out to those who should be listening Public Forum letters must be submitted exclusively to The Tribune and bear writer's full name signature address and telephone number Names must be printed on political letters but may be withheld for good reason on others Writers are limited to one letter of 300 words or less every 14 days Preference will be given to type written (double spaced) letters permitting use of the writer's true name All letters are subject to condensation Mall to the Public Foram The Salt Lake Tribune PO Box 867 Salt Lake City Utah 84110 er SUDHIR In response to Iowa students chanting "No blood for oil" President Bush replies "This is not blood for oil this is naked aggression" Was it not naked aggression in 1967 when the Israelis in a blitzwar quickly annexed y krieg Arab East Jerusalem and the West Bank of the Jordan River? We accepted that without sending troops ARABELLA PERKINS Salt Lake City Forum Rules nine I have ever seen is House Bill 280 proposed for the new legislative session by Rep Reese Hunter This bill would authorize even encourage every overzealous blue-nose- d in the state to police every nook and cranny of the state looking for what they consider to be "obscene" material Has anyone ever considered what this would lead to? Even the United States Supreme Court has had a hard time deciding for sure just what "pornographic" literature is and Rep Hunter wants to leave this decision up to a "citizen's" judgment? If the Legislature would happen to make a mistake and pass this one as liquor law they did the new you can bet your bottom dollar the courts will be filled with lawsuits filed by victims of this comedy and it will probably end up in court as being unconstitutional and will add to Utah's worldwide reputation SHERMAN D HARMER SR Salt Lake city understanding careful and listening physicians in Utah who are in the profession to help heal humanity They Point of Law i a lobbyist to the Utah Legislature for 20 years Over the years there have been some very good bills presented and some very bad ones but the most asiI was DOM There are many caring is allowed to Aggression Standard Repugnant Proposal : t - i t i 'L t ets Fail You: As Dew my aa caws an lxitvocluers vat lama gi g - n titMi- weight loss centers — 3 WEEICS-ML- 1990 1141 WMSystem Mt trsommunirmammErnmewszennommtua 1 Y For flUTRIISYSTErr Services 'Does not includa the coat of NUTRISYSTESS foods MaintnanCe Or Body BreakthroughlActivity Plan and cannot be combined with other offers Valid only with the purchase of a program by now clients at a participating center One dfficount per perion 1800-321-Tili- rr Iran-Contr- BOUNTIFUL HIGHLAND OGDEN SANDY BRIGHAM CITY MIDTOWN OREM WEST VALLEY M Couponemorew iimmo ors ritz 'MI 1069h1 NM WOO UMW COMOPIP Man I I I OMNI 1 i 140AiveW 3PWAWFAMONONWgROSAMIAnitABOUM100MORPMV4enM0"OrCEW-a- |