Hits and Misses
A medical student wants “to do the greatest good for the greatest number.” What kind of doctor should he/she become? Tyler Cowen answers. So does David Henderson.
The health co-ops are failing.
Can teledentistry actually work?
Eli Lilly’s answer to fake drugs: A $110 million bar code system with secret codes.
“What kind of doctor should he/she become?”
I agree with the commenter on the MR blog that he should become a GP. That’s what the biggest demand here in the states is for.
They work the most and get paid the least. I’d say that provides a substantial societal benefit.
Or become a pharmacist, dentist, or optometrist.
“The health co-ops are failing.”
What else is new? Didn’t the NCPA have a testimony proving that health insurance CO-OPs are a unsustainable alternative for health coverage.
Developing a CO-OP for health care is a noble endeavor and, in theory, sounds like a great alternative. But CO-OPs are so rarely successful that tasking a CO-OP to take on insurance companies is likely to fail.
I do not think teledentistry will work.
It seems like a working solution to lack of dental care in lower income areas. After reading the article, it is not what you think it is.
One would think it would increase the demand for dental hygienists, to run these dental clinics that then telecommute with dentists. This is perhaps even less daunting than the initial expectation of going to the dentist.
There were two suggestions that I think are very accurate and that are useful to everyone regardless of their career. 1) Do what you like. If you are passionate about your job and it gives you daily motivation, you will be successful regardless of what field you choose to work in. 2) Find someone to share it with. It is hard to live alone and to succeed if you don’t have someone to share your accomplishments with. Finding someone to share your passions is essential for your long term success.
Regardless of what kind of advances that companies that Lilly put into place, weeding fake drugs out of the market is difficult, perhaps near impossible.
“How drug companies will protect patient privacy while they are stamping unique serial numbers on individual drug packs is something that has Larry Ponemon, chairman and founder of the Michigan-based Ponemon Institute, which studies privacy issues, concerned.”
This has HIPPA violation written all over it.
Co-Ops are not getting the returns they expected and the exchanges are leading to oligopolies. Obama’s plan backed fired, instead of offering competition and lower prices, the government is encouraging few companies to take control of the entire market. This is another example of what happens when things aren’t planned out thoroughly.
“A medical student wants “to do the greatest good for the greatest number.” What kind of doctor should he/she become?”
Pharmacy
There is a saying in Spanish that says that once a measure is in place a way around it will be found almost immediately. So regardless of how many millions of dollars Eli Lilly spends, someone will be there to find a way around it.
Loopholes, brought to you by congress.
Can teledentistry actually work?
What sounds good in theory will likely fail in practice. Wealthy and upper-middle class families who care of their teeth could possibly benefit from visiting a dental hygienist who scans teeth with a camera that is then read by a remote dentist. However, people who have problems related to a lack of knowledge about property oral hygiene will probably continue to have oral health problems and lack access to care.
It could work for those far away from dentists.