But doctors are people.  With shortcomings and frailties and needs and even a tinge of greed.  Doctors are people.  They have the good and the bad that people have.  They have kids that need to go through college and wives that would like a house at the beach.

If I’m forced to guess what trait doctors share more than any other I would not guess altruism.  I’d guess ambition.  It’s hard to become a doctor.  The sacrifices are immense.  There’s certainly nothing wrong with ambition.  It’s a defining human trait.  I have quite a bit of it myself.

What’s the point?

Why do lawyers and politicians and insurance companies always get the blame for ruining healthcare?  Each have their own motives sure.  But why don’t doctors ever get some blame?  Are they somehow above capitalism?

I was talking to a regular Joe last night.  40 years old, a wife, two kids, two cats and a good job.  We were talking about allergies and our kids.  He told me that his docs ran a battery of tests.  The plethora of tests “was because they’re so afraid of getting sued.”

Don’t they get paid with each test they run?  Shouldn’t this at least be part of the conversation?

People far smarter than me are talking about this and related issues.  See this piece from Forbes or this one over at PopTort.