What I'm Thankful For This Year (or What's Good About Healthcare in America)

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As we approach Thanksgiving in the midst of a raging healthcare reform debate, I'd like to share what I think is good about healthcare in America these days...

I'm thankful that I practice medicine in a country where I have access to the most helpful and novel innovations with which to heal my patients.

I'm thankful for compassionate nurses and assistants who put the patient first.

I'm thankful for experienced and competent managers who keep small medical practices running during difficult economic times.

I'm thankful for front desk staff who are always friendly and helpful, even though they have numerous stressors.

I'm thankful for intelligent, thoughtful colleagues with whom I can discuss complex medical questions.

I'm thankful for sane, grounded colleagues with whom I can share my frustrations.

I'm thankful for the social media networks which allow physicians from all over the nation to interact as though we were neighbors.

I'm thankful for information technology which makes prescribing medications faster and safer.

I'm thankful for medication samples to share with my patients who simply cannot afford the cost of prescriptions.

I'm thankful for patients who value me as an educator rather than as a prescriber.

I'm thankful that despite all of the doctor-bashing that occurs in Washington and the media, my patients still trust me to safeguard their health and that of their children.

Yes, there's plenty wrong with healthcare... but there's also plenty right. In our rush to enact a "fix", let's not fix the parts that ain't broke.
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