4 ms·

I just want to take issue with the first thing said in the post: > Disclaimer: I am not a doctor; even if I’m 100% right in my argument and you are 100% convin

I just want to take issue with the first thing said in the post: > Disclaimer: I am not a doctor; even if I’m 100% right in my argument and you are 100% convinced by it, you shouldn’t listen to me over actual doctors; it’s a bad habit that might actually kill you. At least in the U.S., with for-profit medicine, you cannot and should not trust doctors. There is a financial motivation that is misaligned with trying to help you; they (and their employers) have very twisted incentives to try to get you to do procedures that are at best unnecessary and expensive, but at worst potentially damaging to your health. I've seen and dealt with it enough times in my life, and came to the frustrating conclusion that you really just have to look out for yourself. Don't rely on doctors unless you know them personally. Not that it's super related to this Q-Tip thing. I just had to take issue with this, because I hear it so often, and it is really just a lazy cover-your-ass line.

ardy42 6y ago
> At least in the U.S., with for-profit medicine, you cannot and should not trust doctors. There is a financial motivation that is misaligned with trying to help you; they (and their employers) have very twisted incentives to try to get you to do procedures that are at best unnecessary and expensive, but at worst potentially damaging to your health. This is an insanely over-cynical take. While there definitely are doctors who run their practices like a crudely-capitalist business [1], that's not what typically gets people into medicine. You mainly just need to be engaged in your own care and seek second opinions for anything major or if you're having doubts. IMHO, it's more likely you'll have find yourself with an incompetent doctor than one who's trying to screw you. [1] https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/10/upshot/covid-testing-doctor-fees.html https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/10/upshot/covid-testing-doct...
gumby 6y ago
These days the overwhelming majority of doctors work for managed care and are salaried. There are are some specialities that feature private practice (notably derms and plastic surgeons) but for ears, in particular, you’re seeing an internist or GP or ER doc who is in almost every case is purely salaried.

ardy42 6y ago

> At least in the U.S., with for-profit medicine, you cannot and should not trust doctors. There is a financial motivation that is misaligned with trying to help you; they (and their employers) have very twisted incentives to try to get you to do procedures that are at best unnecessary and expensive, but at worst potentially damaging to your health. This is an insanely over-cynical take. While there definitely are doctors who run their practices like a crudely-capitalist business [1], that's not what typically gets people into medicine. You mainly just need to be engaged in your own care and seek second opinions for anything major or if you're having doubts. IMHO, it's more likely you'll have find yourself with an incompetent doctor than one who's trying to screw you. [1] https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/10/upshot/covid-testing-doctor-fees.html https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/10/upshot/covid-testing-doct...

gumby 6y ago

These days the overwhelming majority of doctors work for managed care and are salaried. There are are some specialities that feature private practice (notably derms and plastic surgeons) but for ears, in particular, you’re seeing an internist or GP or ER doc who is in almost every case is purely salaried.