The Coming Medical Ethics Crisis | Jeffrey A. Singer | Cato Institute: Commentary

The Coming Medical Ethics Crisis | Jeffrey A. Singer | Cato Institute: Commentary: "These protocols govern the therapeutic decisions made by the health care practitioner — right down to the pre-operative antibiotics a surgeon may order. Despite the fact that several recent peer-reviewed studies concluded that the protocols have had no positive effect — in fact, one study showed post-op skin infections increased since the protocols were instituted — CMS imposes financial penalties on hospitals that fail to get protocol compliance from their medical staff."

"One way CMS is trying to deal with this is by penalizing hospitals and doctors who treat patients with resistant problems. Effective this year, any patient readmitted to a hospital within 30 days of discharge for the same or a related problem will be treated by the hospital without compensation."

"In a few years, almost all doctors will be employees of hospitals and will be ordered to practice medicine according to federally prescribed guidelines — guidelines that put the best interests of the state ahead of the interests of individual patients.

When the physician's primary obligation is to satisfy the wishes of the payer — ultimately the wishes of the state — how can patients be truly confident in their doctors' decisions?"