Placebo Television - The Missing Episode

Here is the Placebo Television Episode that we had to remove due to its controversial nature. Well, we thought it was time to bring it back. Here's to PSA tests and masturbation!

Primary Care Docs Inundated With Emails

In a nice piece by my friend Rita Rubin at USA Today, details are given about how one internist counted how many patient visits, phone calls and e-mails he and his four associates handled in a year. It's not pretty. They found that each handled an average of 20 phone calls and 17 e-mails a day. Oh, for those that are not in the know, doctors don't get paid for these services. I have to be convinced e-mail is a good idea even IF we were paid. Here are the reasons I am against telemedicine:

1. It is not the best medicine because no examination is involved.
2. It is high risk for a lawsuit as everything is documented and one little nuance or detail could have been overlooked by the doctor. This is sure to be pounced upon by a lawyer.
3. If it is cheaper than the doctor's visit (or free) then patients will rely on it or abuse it.
4. Too many misunderstandings happen via email due to misperception or tone, etc. For example, was he angry at me for asking that question?
5. If a patient doesn't like what the doctor said he or she could use it to complain to the doctor's employer or the state board of medicine. All it takes is a forward button.
6. It takes away from the Art of Medicine because there is no face to face contact.