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| Letters to the Editor |
Medical Melee
09/01/2005
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Dear Editor:
Your article, “Concierge Medicine” (July 2005, page 68),
exposed an issue that is at the heart of my life’s work in patient advocacy.
Never before has science offered such remarkable answers to challenging health
concerns. Yet the complexity of the health care system prevents connecting the
dots from science to patient. Your article brought out an important point: As
valuable as they are, even highly attentive doctors “can’t offer . . . patients
dramatic new technologies.”
Moreover, commonplace ailments now become
complicated due to dispersed patient records, mixed communications, physician
distractions, conflicting diagnoses and inconsistent treatment. An arguably
positive aspect of today’s medicine—specialists by the thousands—further adds to
the confusion.
The article focused on the concierge-style solutions arising
from patient frustration. To clarify, however, our company, Pinnacle Care, is
different in that we rely on objective data plus an impartial medical advisory
board to connect our members to the best care options. Unlike concierge
practices, this service is not limited by geography, a particular physician’s
contacts, hospital affiliations or broad-brush reputations. We do not receive
compensation from or provide compensation to any physician or hospital.
A
disjointed health care system that keeps patients from getting appropriate
treatment is a tragedy. It affects all people of all income levels. Until
systemic change occurs, our approach will continue to attract those with above
average incomes. We genuinely hope the direction we are forging, the quality
route, will someday be available to all others.
John Hutchins
Managing
Director, Pinnacle Care International
Baltimore
Dear Editor:
I truly enjoyed Donald Moine’s
“Valueless Values” (June 2005, page 36). He is absolutely correct in warning
readers not to count on financial advisors for advice in areas outside of their
bailiwick. I’d like to add that financial advisors are not always prepared to
properly advise their clients in another area of importance to persons of
wealth: philanthropy. An ancient Greek philosopher commented on the difficulty
of giving money away wisely and well. Things haven’t changed much in two
millennia.
I’d suggest to your readers who are starting private family
foundations or plunking over seven figures’ worth of cash and assets into a
donor-advised fund that they seek out a reputable and disinterested philanthropy
advisor to help them put together what Worth described as a “100-year plan” in a
series of articles last year. The Council on Foundations has a list of those
approved and up to its standards.
Doris Rubenstein
Principal Consultant,
PDP Services
Minneapolis
Worth welcomes your comments, critiques and suggestions. Please direct
your letters to letters@worth.com.
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