Title of the Post-2
Would You Hesitate to Save a Life If There Was No Risk to Your Own?
The cyclist took a bad fall right in the middle of the road. A truck rounding the corner is bearing down well beyond the speed limit and clearly won’t be able to stop before she struggles to her feet. You and a friend are out for a walk with your dog when you see this unfolding. You then:
A. Stand frozen in place
B. Call 911 for help
C. Run into the street and pull the cyclist to safety just in time
Now, imagine the truck is the healthcare industry, barreling ahead, focused on profit over people. Short-term gains with no thought to long-term pain, the ultimate cost in dollars as well as lives. Kicking the proverbial can down the road.
This road, at this moment, the 911 call is answered by a public servant who is unable and/or unwilling to respond, their entire fleet of vehicles is broken down by neglect and lack of will to budget for maintaining safe and sound operation. Here, the police and firefighting rescue teams represent the legislators and payers.
The 911 operator thanks the person for bringing this urgent need to their attention, and sends thoughts and prayers on behalf of his employers. “By the way, we have been evaluating the need for a stop sign or traffic light,” he adds before abruptly ending the call to alarm.
The cyclist? One of the physicians (or nurses or nurse practitioners or physician assistants or any other provider) who has been seriously injured and simply can’t get up on their own.
Running to the Rescue: CBF
The Clinician Burnout Foundation is intent on stopping one more death due to healthcare burnout. This can be you, pulling the cyclist/clinician out of harm’s way, while your friend bravely stands between you and the cyclist and the truck, trying to get the driver’s attention. The driver eventually sees you, but not before you and your friend must leap to the curb.
The truck keeps going, the driver never looking back. You attend to the cyclist, using a novel technique to stop her hemorrhaging with what you have on hand with resourceful thinking, determined to save her life.
The number of fatalities at this intersection of clinicians and legislators/administrators/health insurers has exceeded logic, let alone compassion and a moral compass. Neglect and greed resulting in inaction, with nothing put in place to stop, let alone, prevent more, needless, tragedy.