Page 14 - Boca Club News - April '20

Page 14, Boca Club News
Health & Wellness

Medical Matters: “An Article I Wrote

27 Years Ago, Upon My Retirement”

By Richard Nagler, M.D., a member But in recent years there have been profound changes to weed out bad doctors. It has failed to improve the quality
of Broken Sound Club and retired deeply affecting the idyllic practice I enjoyed so much. The of care. More important, it has made doctors fearful of
physician. After graduating from great advances in diagnostic and therapeutic technology their patients. This adversarial relationship is incompatible
the University of Pennsylvania and have revolutionized our ability to deal effectively with with a primary concern for the patient’s welfare. It appeals
New York University’s School of problems unthinkable just a few years ago. Unfortunately, to defensive medicine, resulting in unnecessary tests and
Medicine, Dr. Nagler served his patients’ expectations now are often unrealistic, creating procedures designed to protect the doctor in the event of a
internship and residency at Baltimore disappointment with the inevitable failures. More important, possible lawsuit.
City Hospital and Johns Hopkins. He there has been a dramatic increase of the government’s I can no longer practice under these conditions. Too
followed that with a Fellowship in involvement, third party insurance carriers, and managed many of my colleagues at the peak of their knowledge
Gastroenterology at Yale University School of Medicine, and health care providers on healthcare delivery. Doctors are and experience are retiring. No matter what statistics are
was then Chief of Gastroenterology at Fitzimmons General overwhelmed with increased paperwork, more forms, generated to demean the medical profession, the fact remains
Army Hospital in Denver. He returned to the Yale Medical endlessly changing coding systems, fee schedules, but, that the best medical care on the planet is right here in the
School for one year as an Assistant Professor of Medicine most grievously, guidelines for patient care conceived by USA.
before opening his own successful private practice in Internal those who have never cared for patients. They have no code I believe that we should resolve to spend more on our
Medicine and Gastroenterology. During that time, he also for counseling, comforting, educating, reassuring, or for health care. We must develop a more efficient system that
served for ten years as Chief of Medicine at Huntington compassion. They certainly have no code for quality. reaches out to include the disenfranchised. We must also
Hospital in Huntington, N.Y. The constant media bashing of doctors has discouraged provide health insurance for everyone. But our first priority
***** the good doctors, who have lost their enthusiasm and desire is to demand quality and the free choice of physician. We
I was recently perusing medical articles that I have written as honor and respect have been replaced by doubt and must understand that without good health little else really
over the years and came upon one regarding my retirement suspicion. Doctors are now referred to as vendors or health matters.
from medical practice 27 years ago that was published in the care providers. There is no mention or provision for the Let us turn away from spending billions of dollars on
NEWSDAY newspaper on Long Island. What I wrote at that doctor-patient relationship so vital to successful treatment weapons of mass destruction with incalculable waste and
time seems in many ways what I would write about today, as outcomes. millions more on cigarettes and narcotics. We must rethink
much of what I lamented about then hasn’t really changed at The unprecedented glut of lawyers has fueled a our priorities and turn away from self-indulgence and
all and reinforces the wisdom of the decision I made for me malpractice disaster that remains out of control. It has failed frivolity, and devote our resources to benefit all our people.
and my patients at that time. Here is that article as I wrote
it those many years ago:
As a young man, I was consumed with the desire to
become a doctor. After what seemed an eternity, involving
medical school, an internship, residency and fellowship, as
well as two years in the U.S. medical corps, I settled down to
practice on Long Island. I quickly developed a relationship
with my patients in which they perceived me as competent,
thorough and well trained, but, more important, willing to
listen, spend time, educate and care. I have no doubt that this
doctor-patient relationship was a major factor in my success
as a healer.
At age 48 I developed angina, followed by a triple bypass
complicated by transfusion hepatitis C. My mortality and
vulnerability were made abundantly clear. I was fearful,
uncertain, but most of all helpless and not in control. I had
to entrust my life to someone else. I yearned for my doctor’s
daily hospital visit. His kindness and concern, his warmth,
his reassurance and his instruction on how I could help
myself were uplifting and helped speed my recovery. When
I returned to my practice, I had a greater understanding and
appreciation of my patients’ needs. I knew that our doctor-
patient relationship was a key factor in the healing process.
This is the art of medicine which ennobles my profession
and sets it apart from any other.
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