Monday, April 28, 2008

On A National Health Policy

Unfortunately, most nation states have taken “health policy” to mean “medical care policy.” Medical care, however, is only one variable in a nation’s health equation. The article describes what the main components of a national health policy should be, including (1) the political, economic, social, and cultural determinants of health, the most important determinants of health in any country; (2) the lifestyle determinants, which have been the most visible types of public interventions; and (3) the socializing and empowering determinants, which link the first and second components of a national health policy: the
individual interventions and the collective interventions.

Vicente Navarro - What is a National Health Policy? (pdf)

Comments:
Orlando Martinez

To whom it may concern:

This is how I perceived the careless words of my fathers doctor. Some may see my story as conjecture but it nevertheless happened.

My experience at the Santa Fe Hospital


My first encounter with an callous doctor was at the Santa Fe New Mexico Hospital during a visit with my dying father, who was semiconscious and emaciated. It was obvious to me, the nurses and the doctor that he did not have long to live. The doctor came in to my fathers room, while I was there, and said "Your father is going to die because his cancer has spread through out his body." I took offense since my father was lying on the bed listening and the doctor was talking like he wasn't there. I considered it to be an improper remark, he should have taken me aside and told me.
I said "Don't talk that way when my father is listening. He's not a piece of furniture." The doctor didn't like to be corrected. But he had forgotten, or perhaps had not been taught in medical school, that a dying person room is sacred and inviolable and belongs exclusively to him and his family. And respect is expected of everyone who enters it. The doctor did not show respect for my father by speaking as thou he was not there.
The doctor retaliated later, when me and my brother were in the waiting area of the ward, and he came out and called-just-my brother aside, to the other end of the waiting room, to discuss my fathers medical condition. He shunned me and I knew what he was doing and did not interfere.
The next day I went to visit my father and he wasn't in his room so i asked the nurse where he was and she said he was on a gurney down the hall waiting for an attendant to take him to get some radiation therapy. I went to see him and they had parked his gurney so that, he was lying on his side, facing the wall. To my indignation, they hadn't the kindness to leave him facing the people passing in the hall.
At the time I didn't think much about what the doctors were doing to my father. About why are they were giving an almost comatose patient some radiation therapy when it was obvious to everyone involved that he could not be cured.
It wasn't till the next day, when my fathers doctor said in a tone of voice suggesting he thought the news would make me happy, "We've gotten rid of the cancer in your fathers hip," this innocuous remark made me realized what they had been doing to my father. They though that since my father was dying anyway why not experiment, as they had probably done before with other patients. So they subjected my dying father to large dosages radiation treatment -they thought he wouldn't mine it since he was dying anyway- just to find out, by experimenting, how much radiation it would take to destroy the cancer in my fathers hip. This is what i believe, I perceived, but they, of course, will have an rational explanation available.
It was reminiscent of the Tuskegee University syphilis study, the experiments of Dr. Mengele, the Nazi, and the experiments with new drugs and operating procedure the University of Georgia Medical School did on slaves.
My father should have been respected to the very end. The doctors and other medical staff rationalized their experimentations on my father, the same way Harvard School of Medicine rationalize their dog lab. where dogs were subjected to drug testing and cut open to examined the internal organs until they died. Then when they were accused of dog murder, by animal rights organizations, they said in their defense: we got them from the dog pound and they were going to be killed anyway. So they took advantage of the certainty dogs deaths experiment in name of medical science.
My father was a innocent victim of the doctors cruelty and disrespect. It was an assault on his human dignity. They had assumed that my father had no feelings, was almost dead, and therefore had no human rights.
 
dukeoftaos@yahoo.com

The Man in the Dark; a true experience
Nurse and Doctors ethics
by Orlando Martinez. IWA,

The object of this story is to remind nurses and doctors that the patients see and hear things they do not like but seldom make a issue it at the moment it happens but recall it later and see as a lack of respect.

I was lying on the bed with my cap pulled over my eyes in the emergency room cubical waiting for the doctor. I had the nurse turn off the lights, shut the sliding door and close the curtains. I was going to try and get some sleep because it would be a couple of hours before the doctors visit.
I had been lying there for an hour when I heard the sliding door open and I laid their for a moment waiting for the person to talk when that did not happened I took the cap from my eyes and a man was standing next to my bed in the dark, he did not turn on the lights, and he did not introduce himself nor address me with the polite_" Mr. Martinez I am Doctor Brown." it's not good manners to come into my room without addressing me and introducing himself. This slight was a preview with what was to follow.
The man without a name, in the dark, mention that my X-rays and lab. tests look good and their was nothing wrong with me and that I could go home. I wondered who he was so i asked him "Are you a doctor" and he said he was Doctor Brown.
Then, as he was leaving said, "Did you know that you can have an heart attack at anytime"-a nice little farewell touch; The remark was not appropriate and was unnecessary. He should have kept his mouth shut. No patient needs to be reminded, for no reason, that he could have a heart attack at anytime.
It was a careless remark by an insensitive, and perhaps a callous person. And when i got home and realized what he had done I got angry and I cussed him out.
Where were the assurances and compassionate care that the medical personal say is the goal of patient-cantered health care.
 
dukeoftaos@yahoo.com
Note,,,,demeans the innocent Nurses, the patient, the Doctor, the medical profession, Eye Associates of New Mexico and Presbyterian Health Plan

The importance of being polite.

If you think letter this has some educational value pass it on to your colleagues.

I am circulating this information on the internet. If you have any criticism please contact me at dukeoftaos@yahoo.com. I am open to make changes. I want to inclued both sides in this very important issue.
You may not agree with this document but it should be read to find out what some patients think but can not articulate. This is meant for educational purposes. It contains information and instruction that are essential to patients as well as the Health Care Professions. It is intended to be constructive and not to offend.

When you liberate the patients you shall also be liberated and then you can, together, liberate the doctors. The spiritual revolution starts with you.

To whom it may concern.

The patient has the right to considerate and respectful care: from the American Hospital Associations Patient’s Bill of Rights.

The patient has the right to be treated with consideration, respect, and recognition of their individuality and personal care...: from the Albuquerque Ambulatory Eye Surgery Centers Your Rights As a Patients. These statements are meant to protect the patients from the abusive punitive inclinations of some medical personal.


Patients note:
And i remember the tears of wonder in my eyes when I looked down at my nephew Sebastian who was premature and only weight pounds and there he was,In the hospital crib, with a slight smile on his face thinking of some magical baby thoughts and was there alive and glowing like a angel, because of the nurses and doctors and I want to say thank you.

This account of a patients experience is meant for educational purposes. It contains information and instruction that are essential to the Health Care Profession as well as the patients. It is intended to be constructive and not to offend.

Mr. Orlando Martinez, IWA International Writers Association.
6020 Kathryn Ave. SE #16
Albuquerque New Mexico 87108

To whom it may concern.

The patient has the right to considerate and respectful care: from the American Hospital Associations Patient’s Bill of Rights.

The patient has the right to be treated with consideration, respect, and recognition of their individuality and personal care...: from the Albuquerque Ambulatory Eye Surgery Centers Your Rights As a Patients. These statements are meant to protect the patients from the abusive punitive inclinations of some medical personal.

This is not a complaint, I am charging Dr Mark Lesher with callous conduct, mental abuse of a patient, disturbing the peace of an innocent patient and failing to give considerate and respectful care to that patient. Dr. Mark Lesher is an eye surgeon at Eye Associates of New Mexico.
Dr Mark Lesher robbed me of having a pleasant memory about my visit to EANM and created a bad memory by treating me as a nobody. He kick me when I was down and blind. Lesher left a bad taste in my mouth. For a Doctor to insulted a patient who is laying down, helpless, blind, and completely dependent on the doctor is an appalling crime. It is callous.
Dr Mark Lesher did not give me compassionate care, assurances and respect and therefore Dr Lesher did not do the job I paid him to do. At this point I want to emphasize that it was my tax money, as a well as all citizens tax money, that paid Leshers' fee. Since I paid his fee then he is was employee. You are my employee.
The following is an experience a friend had at University of New Mexico Hospital where she had cataract surgery. I also talk to two other patients who reported the same respectful treatment.

A friend of mine, Mary Taylor, told me that prior to the surgery there was an eye orientation where the doctor showed her a chart of the eye and told what he would be doing. When she ad cataract surgery the doctor and a nurse came to visit her in the preparation room. They were polite, exchanged a few words of pleasant conversation and gave her assurances that all would be well.
In the surgery room the Doctor and Nurse exchanged humorous remarks, this friendly atmosphere made Mary, she said, feel comfortable.
In the recovery room, after surgery, the doctor and nurse came in to ask her how she was doing and was she comfortable. Then they had a few words of pleasant conversation, joked a little, said have a good day and left. That made her feel good and made her stay at the eye clinic a pleasant experience. Leaving Mrs. Taylor with the happy feeling that some one cared and what a nice friendly doctor and nurse. Mary said that "At the start it was Mrs, Taylor but at the end it was Mary."

My left cataract was remove April 12 by Dr. Mark Lesher, the doctor I hired to do the surgery, at the Ambulatory Eye Surgery Center located in the North side Presbyterian hospital. Dr. Lesher was my employee and was being generously paid. I was looking forward to the surgery and took it for granted that everyone would be polite and treat me with respect.
At the hospital I was taken to the preparation room where I was prepared for surgery-there was no visit by Dr. Lesher or a nurse to give me assurances and exchange a few pleasant words. There was no eye orientation. Both my eyes were cover, I had a plastic cap on and an oxygen tube in my nose, i was completely dependent on the hospital nurses. Then I was taken the the cataract surgery room. ,which I couldn't see because of the eye covers. i waited in this helpless state for five minutes then a voice said "I'm Dr. Lesher don't move.": There was no "Mr, Martinez. I'm Doctor Lesher I'm going to start the eye surgery please don't move." Then Dr. Lesher proceed to give me instructions: to look at the light, look up etc. 15 minutes later he said "I'm finished" and left. No words of hello and no words of goodbye. No assurances or compassion or TLC tender loving care. Which the hospital tells the patient an important part of their health care.
And their was no visit by the doctor or nurse when I was in the recovery room. No assurances. No compassion. Nothing. I had just been operated on by a insensitive impolite educated oaf. I was helpless and dependent on Dr. Lesher and then he sees this as an opportunity to insult me. And this was after I paid him (my tax money) for the surgery and medical care and expected the usual politeness that goes with the surgery. What everyone is entitled too.

Bitter? Why would anybody be bitter?

I felt violated and used by the doctor to make money. Dr. Leshers offensive conduct demeans the patient, the Doctor, the medical profession, the innocent nurses, Eye Associates of New Mexico and Presbyterian Health Plan.
I have fired Dr. Lesher. He is no longer an employee of mine. He will not be doing my right eye cataract surgery. It will be done at the University of New Mexico Hospital-where they care about the patients. That means EANM will be losing thousands of dollars. That is the price of Dr. Lesher inappropriate conduct. And I will tell others not to go to Dr. Lesher and EANM. And EANM will lose money. And you, the hapless victim of Dr. Leshers' insult, will lose money. This is the only recourse I have.


Something provoked Dr Lesher to treat me like a piece of meat. Was it ageism? Is he a racist? Drunk? or just did not like my personality or thought he was better than I was. He has, in my opinion, an negative attitude problem that could have effected his surgery in a way that he was unaware.

Dislike the patient and the knife goes a 1/16th an inch to far or he does not set the lens properly and i lose vision in that eye years later.

I want a copy this letter given by you to the person Lesher. I am going to sent this letter to the person Lesher. I will not give him the respect his title suggests.
I am going to mail this letter to every doctor at Eye Associates of New Mexico and every optometrist in Albuquerque, .

I have permission to post a card on the bulletin boards of Senior Citizens Centers. The card will say; If you are going to have cataract surgery I have important information contact the dukeoftaos@yahoo.com When they contact me i will send them this letter. Maybe this will cost Presbyterian, the hapless victim of Doctor Lesher and EANM unethical conduct, to lose thousands of dollars. If I can convince just 10 patients not to go to EANM then it will cost the medical parties involved, collectively (an educated guess), $30,000. That is the cost for Dr. Lesher rude behavior while I was laying helpless and blind.


It is the responsibility of Presbyterian to monitor Dr. Lesher and EANM. I am waiting for your response. Dr. Mark Lesher has made the mistake of screwing over a guy who is somebody. Lesher cause EANM and Presbyterian to lose money and caused me to distribute this story to recover part of the self self esteem Lesher tried to destroy.
I am open to any remedy that will settle this unfortunate incident, which is not the fault of Presbyterian. What do you suggest should be done. I want to be compensated for Dr. Lesher irresponsible rude behavior. I am somebody.

And finally: the words of Pope John Paul 11; How can we stand before God if we do not forgive each other.

Mr. Orlando Martinez,IWA
International Writers Association.
 
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