“When we set up systems, even for those that are nonprofit, we all talk about what service lines make money,” Dr. Freischlag said. Dr. Freischlag explained that the goal of any hospital is to treat all patients who enter its doors. Purely profit-motivated institutions “that turn away, transfer, or discharge patients for any reason besides medical indication should look at their mission” and remember that patients always come first. “Over the last 30 years, physicians and surgeons have lost their positions of power in the hospital. “Everybody reaches a point where they will start to be affected by a cost-cutting measure, and I would say it impacts areas like the nursing staff more than it does the surgeons,” Dr. Schwartz said.

Source: New York Times March 06, 2024 04:09 UTC