Rather than reverse the problems they purport to fix, these unwarranted procedures can often lead to greater health problems and even death. A 1995 report by Milliman & Robertson, Inc. concluded that nearly 60 percent of all surgeries performed are medically unnecessary, according to Under The Influence of Modern Medicine by Terry A. Rondberg. Some of the most major and frequently performed unnecessary surgeries include hysterectomies, Cesarean sections and coronary artery bypass surgeries. Coronary bypasses are the most common unnecessary surgeries in America In a nation plagued by heart disease, it often seems that the knee-jerk reaction of American doctors is to treat heart problems with surgery. However, many of the heart surgeries performed each year are unnecessary procedures that could be putting the patients' lives at greater risk.
This is significantly more than the 180 operations realized by adding Saturday to the operating schedule. Also, performing more operations a day would better utilize the operating staff. The hospital has 12 full-time surgeons, who perform 4 surgeries a day, thus allowing room for 48 operations per day from the operating staff. The five operating rooms are open for the first operation at 7:30 AM, and close presumably at 4:00 PM with the conclusion of the surgeons’ working day. Each operation takes one hour, including preparation.
Cardiac arrhythmias affect more than 700,000 people in England is one of the top ten reasons for hospital admission (Department of Health 2005). Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common and important cardiac arrhythmia, it the most common of all the arrhythmias seen in general practice. AF affects 5% of the UK population over the age of 65 years, rising to 10% in those over 75 years of age (Kirby 2005). The principal significance, both to the patient and the healthcare system is the increased risk of embolic stroke. Atrial fibrillation is associated with 15% of all strokes and with 36% of strokes in patients over the age of 60 (Hobbs 1999).
Vulnerable Population and Self Awareness Nurs 440 May 27, 2013 Vulnerable Population and Self Awareness There are many types of vulnerable populations in today’s society that are vulnerable to certain illnesses or diseases. One of the most common vulnerable populations is the elderly. As the age increases most often it also corresponds with cognitive changes, specifically dementia. Chronic illnesses in the elderly increase their vulnerability and begin to be more dependent on others for assistance. Upon growing older there many choices to be made and one of the most difficult is having to place the elder person in a nursing home when he/she is no longer capable of being independent.
Economists estimate about 2 trillion will be spent on medical care in 2007. That is about $6,830 per person, which amounts to 16 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product. Clemmitt, Marcia (2006, April 7) Rising health cost (vol.16, Issue 13). Recent reports from (Clemmit,2006) recognize the fact that rising health care costs have made health insurance too expensive for many employers to offer and health care itself too costly for tens of millions of Americans.
According to the text more than 80 percent of persons age 70 and over have at lest one chronic condition with multiple health problems occurring in 50 percent of the older population (cite text). They are often accompanied by continuous pain and distress (text). Heart disease is a common chronic condition in older adults. Coronary heart disease also known as CHD, along with stroke are the leading causes of death among older adults. Coronary heart disease is a condition in which blood to the heart is deficient because of a narrowing or constricting of the cardiac vessels that supply it.
Older persons experience the greatest amount of painful conditions but receive the least successful treatment of pain (Closs, 2005). A concise definition of pain is difficult but it is divided into two categories, acute and chronic (Touhy & Jett, 2010). The effects of inadequate pain assessment and treatment among older adults may lead to multiple problems. Pain is common in older people. The landmark study by the American Geriatric Society (AGS) conducted in 1998 found through a telephone survey that one in five older Americans are taking analgesic medicines regularly and 63% of those have taken prescription pain medications for more than six months (AGS, 1998, p. 635).
In 2000, 35 million of the United States population was over 65 years of age, and by 2030 the figure is expected to reach 71.5 million older Americans. “Demographically, the coming generation of elderly Americans- the baby boomers- were themselves the pioneers in the great changes that have transformed family life over the past several decades, and their ageing is one of the most anticipated demographic events of this century” (Population Reference Bureau, 2010). With the continued advancement in medicine Americans are living longer. And, it appears that “while the number of Americans without medical insurance is high, the number without any insurance against the cost of long term care is far greater (Population Reference Bureau, 2010).” Ageism is a social attitude. Ageism is also part of attitudes where people believe that older adults can be treated in demeaning ways.
Going to an emergency room instead of scheduling a doctor's appointment has become a trend in this country. Translated into dollars and cents that means 40.5 million people paid up to three times as much for routine care as they would have paid at a physician's office. They probably wasted a lot of time too because emergency rooms are not set up to care for routine illness, and they do not work on a first-come, first-served basis as many people mistakenly believe. To ensure that the sickest patients get immediate care, emergency rooms use a triage (French for "sorting") system of evaluation so that critical cases, such as people suffering from heart attacks or injuries from serious accidents or violent crimes, are treated first. Everyone else may have to wait quite a while before being seen.
However, because of commodity inflation, increasing negligent costs, steep price rise of rental, and the annual salary range of a MD varies and is not rising as fast as other professional pay. The salary of a doctor depends on how hard he/she has to deal in that job. For example, Anesthesiology doctors’ salary is about $331,000 to $423,507 because they help to prevent patients from feeling pain and sensations; monitor patients through the first recovery stages after an operation; and administer appropriate medications during recovery… The salary range of a doctor is about at least $150,000 per year and maximum can reach anywhere up to $200,000-$500,000 per year. 3) Education Generally, almost all physicians complete at least 4 years of undergraduate school, 4 years of medical school, and 3 to 8 years of internship and residency, depending on their specialty. There are 146 medical schools in the United States-126 teach allopathic medicine and award a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)