Last things to do today-then back to Japan. There will be no rest for the wicked there as I will have a lot to do-plus have to keep the full court press on the job hunt. If you know of and or are seeking a hard working professional to do your bidding in Asia-please email me.
There is a story on the CBS News as I type this-being broadcast on AFN. Its a tragic story of Carmelo Rodriguez who died of melanoma-which it looks on the surface-was misdiagnosed by a Navy doctor. In a nut shell the report shows a condition that was documented when he enlisted in 1997, got worse over time and in the end killed him. The purpose of the piece is to highlight the Ferres Doctrine. The Ferres Doctrine is a court ruling that specified that military members have no right to sue the government for malpractice made by doctors in its employ.
It is a sad and tragic story. However to me there is an unanswered question-if he had suspicion that the doctor was not giving him the right story-why not go see a civilian doctor? Just for a second opinion? It is your life at stake.
Because its against the rules for military personnel to do so. However people do it, and if nothing else it might have provided a means to get someone to sit up and take notice. There is a little voice inside of me that thinks it might not have been enough.
Plus in this particular case he was deployed when he brought it to the doctors attention.
I have had my own experience with self righteous Navy doctors so this is an issue near and dear to me. In my particular case this particular WPOS* thought his D.O. degree also gave him a carte blanche to interfere in my personal life. The privilege did not, and still does not, exist.
I would have loved to be able to sue him.
And beat the shit out of him. Sadly I exercised neither option. I have learned a lot since then and my real regret over the whole thing was not confront him directly and challenging him at the time. However under the circumstances-he had the ear of the mighty.
Which brings me back to this news story.
There are a host of issues that the story did not touch on, but should have if they had the time.
For one thing it should point out that military members do not enjoy the same confidentiality protections that civilians do. National security concerns -that old chestnut-are trotted out as a reason. So if it had been another condition, such as a sexually transmitted disease perhaps, the doctor will tell the member’s commanding officer.
Who may then punish him based on the doctors info-which prevents military members from seeking treatment from such ailments inside the military system. Its a Catch-22 created by the Morality Police that exist in the military today.
Second-no other employer does the dangerous things-like getting shot at by mortars and RPG’s- that the military does. Doctors are under enormous pressure in such situations. Should they have to also worry about getting sued by a Soldier’s family? Probably not.
Third-the military does not have enough doctors. Every hospital is understaffed, primarily because every hospital has to provide people to Iraq and Afghanistan under our twisted Individual Augmentation system. And it has more patients seeking to use the system than it can really handle.
Which begs the question: Why cannot, in the continental US, active duty people see regular civilian doctors and get reimbursed under their health insurance. Seems to me that is an out sourcing decision that would make sense.
Also is the Ferres Doctrine still valid? My own fear is that the US military will oppose any change to the law by Congress -and like my retirement robbery, Congress will not lift a finger to change it. I’m not saying doctors should be held personally liable-but as the employer the government does have a certain liability.
Let the conversation begin.
*WPOS-Worthless Piece Of S**t