I knew that doctors face increasing administrative burdens,
but I had no idea how bad it was. Distracted
is 201 pages of examples of bureaucratic burdens and Catch 22’s that make no
sense placed on practices trying to provide the best healthcare they can. The
author concedes that costs are out of control, the healthcare system isn’t
working, errors happen, and that quality needs improvement. But his examples
make very clear that new regulations, new technologies, quality measures, and
payment hurdles forced on practices by well-meaning bureaucrats and insurers meant
to fix real problems are only making things worse. His examples may seem hard
to believe at points, but the problems are familiar – no one thought about how
the “solutions” would have to work in his real world. He often has to note “I’m
not making this up”. I don’t agree with everything in the book, especially his
chapter on Patient-Centered Medical Homes, but his point is clear and painful
to hear for anyone involved in healthcare policymaking. Anyone involved in
healthcare at any level should read this book. Read more from the CT Health
Notes Book Club
