A Lesson To Be Learned From The Health Care Fiasco

This is a transcript of a letter I had written to the Niagara Gazette that was published on December 10, 2009 when the debate on health care was raging in Washington. I am publishing it here today as I intend to refer to it in blogs I shall be writing in the near future. It draws attention to the fact that all thedifficulties we are facing today are the result of legislators using methods for solving problems developed at a time when information travelled at the velocity of the pony, to solve problems in an age when information travels at the velocity of light. What I said then holds true today and will remain true until an American President does what it takes to shift our paradigm for problem solving from one doomed to failure every time we use it to one that will succeed whenever success is humanly possible to accomplish.

The Editor,
The Niagara Gazette,
Niagara Falls, NY.

Sub: “The Debate on Health Care Reform”

There is a problem with the debate on health care reform raging in Washington.

A Congressman's comment, hit the nail on the head. He said "a lot of horse trading was going to occur!" We are not horses and we do not want decisions about our health care to be made using horse trading tactics!

The fundamental problem in Washington is that our legislators are solving problems using methods developed in a society in which information travelled with the velocity of the pony, to address problems of a society in which information travels at the velocity of light.

Einstein recognized the fact that we cannot solve problems associated with large entities and events occurring at high velocities using common sense. We can solve them only by the method Einstein used to discover relativity, a method that involved a change in the paradigms of thought and action.

President Obama promised to make this "change" to win the election but has reverted to horse trading after the election.

When Doctors practice medicine ideally, they must abide by the laws of Medical Ethics, laws that are identical to those Einstein adhered to as he did all the incredible things he did! Health care delivery is in shambles because unrealistic societal expectations and emotionally charged laws do not allow Doctors to adhere to the laws of Medical Ethics.

If Washington wants to reform health care delivery and make it the best it could be, it must do so using the laws of Medical Ethics, not those of horse trading common sense. The Health Care Reform Bill must consist of the ten laws of Medical Ethics that everyone must abide by across the board in all medical decision making processes, not a stack of thousands of pieces of paper that confound everything, accomplish nothing and make matters worse. If you want to know to know how to use the laws of Medical Ethics to solve problems, you can read about them at www.successateverything.com.

If you agree with me, send copies of this letter to President Obama and to your elected representatives and ask them to make the paradigm shift that will enable us to address problems of our post relativity society. If they get enough letters, they may change their strategy before they legislate our fate beyond the point of no return.

Yours Sincerely

Ajit Trivikram, MD, FACS.
Niagara Falls NY