Atul Gawande’s article in The New Yorker dwells on the problem of excessive and often unnecessary medical care observed in the United States. The author emphasizes that numerous tests, scans, and surgeries affect people not only financially but physically as well. By undergoing an unnecessary operation or harmful test, people may finally find themselves less healthy than before the procedures.
Actually, there can be two reasons for the things like that and both do not sound optimistic for patients. The first one is that doctors want to earn as much as possible by using all resources they have. Therefore, they make their patients take unnecessary tests or undergo surgeries which cost a lot. It is also quite possible that these doctors feel it is their duty to do their utmost if a person asks for help. They think that their work will look more efficient and thorough if they send their patients to as many scans as possible. Patients do not disagree. They simply follow their doctors’ advice. Doctors, in their turn, use their patients’ ignorance. They draw pessimistic prospects of what may happen if patients refuse to do what is recommended. Patients feel scared and do everything said to them by their doctors.
Another reason may be the fact that doctors are not really able to diagnose a disease without the help of technologies. They are not knowledgeable enough or have no experience to make decisions that they will be sure of. Unnecessary surgeries can also be a result of doctors’ inability to find another way how to bring the patient back to active lifestyle. As Atul Gawande relevantly says, “it is not enough to eliminate the unnecessary care; it has to be replaced by necessary care” (Gawande). Removal of an unhealthy organ is not always the best solution. Perhaps, some medications or proper physical exercising can be more efficient and let the patient return to his/her usual habits quicker while some surgeries can change the patient’s life forever.
So, Atul Gawande’s article is an address to doctors, first of all. The author wants them to see their mistakes and start being real professionals. Better results can be as satisfying as financial remuneration. Besides, better job can bring more grateful patients and good reputation, which will consequently lead to higher payments as well.
Works Cited
Gawande, Atul. “Overkill.” The New Yorker 11 May 2015. Web. 14 March 2016.
