Editor's Note: We're sorry to announce this is the last columnwritten by Robert A. Duke, who wrote his first Whatcom: Chronic & Acute column for Whatcom Watch in August 2014, and continued writing more than 25 articles, including this February column. Thank you for your years of excellent writing and advocacy, Robert. Your [Read More...]
Artwork by Hilary Cole by Robert A. Duke I think we all understand that insurance is protection against the threat of unaffordable loss. That’s all insurance, including healthcare insurance. But, Tom (not his actual name), Professor Emeritus of Law, and check-writing patient, sees health insurance as an onerous [Read More...]
by Robert A. Duke Author’s Note: We are grateful to the physicians who contributed to this article under the condition of anonymity and the understanding that they “… obviously do not speak for PeaceHealth or their profession, but have the right to speak for themselves, and because they think an [Read More...]
Artwork by Hilary Cole by Robert A. Duke Is it the biologically unique you your doctor is treating and counseling during an office visit? Yes, to the extent your history, gender and age matter. Mainly, though, she is providing preventive care recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task [Read More...]
Artwork by Hilary Cole by Robert A. Duke Humor Man goes into Doctor’s office. “Doc, I have pain in my right shoulder.” Doc consults, examines and orders ultrasound and X-rays. Man gives X-ray order to imaging Reception and follows Tech to X-ray machine. “Why are you here?” Tech [Read More...]
by Robert A. Duke Enter and Look Around — Free and Easy The front entrance to the doctor’s office is typically a patients’-only view of the health care system, but Whatcom offers a back door with a welcome mat inviting you to tour what we can usually only see when [Read More...]
by Robert A. Duke Whatcom County, WA vs. La Crosse County, WI Artwork by Hilary Cole Because 96 percent of people who die in La Crosse, WI. are claimed to have an advance directive (AD), Whatcom Alliance for Health Advancement (WAHA) publicized La Crosse’s achievement as its own [Read More...]
by Robert A. Duke 1. Learn the name or brand of the device to be implanted so you can search for its success rate and its recall history. I discovered devices similar to my fusion spacers were available from Taiwan packed in bulk for mere pennies per piece. 2. Get [Read More...]
Artwork by Hilary Cole by Robert A. Duke Don’t expect to be told everything you need to know when electing surgery. Despite the length and thoroughness of pre-surgery preparations, you’ll discover most information is for the surgeon, not the patient. First, the surgeon is in charge and is [Read More...]
by Robert A. Duke When I heard specialist physicians, titled hospitalists, were hired to care for hospital inpatients, I asked the hospital for a job description so I might judge their impact on patients, especially at the end of life. PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center, in Bellingham, Washington, had no [Read More...]