title: Public policy and funding issues. The role of the clinician from a Canadian perspective.
abstract: Radiologists and cardiologists may wish to consider an evolution of their roles: Begin to delegate some tasks to others so there is time to concentrate on the areas that are important in terms of the science of diagnosis. Train and empower technicians to do more; they are skilled and are capable of lightening the workload. It is important to offer outreach services to augment the training of other physicians. Many who work in referral and tertiary centers and teaching centers have a limited concept of what it is like to be in a center with limited technology. It is vital to know what is cost-effective and to promote those services. Physicians need media skills and ways to show other clinicians and consumers the importance of their work. It is also important to develop standards for the ordering of diagnostic procedures, to help referring physicians and young physicians to order effectively so that there is less need for policing. Evaluate new technology; informed physicians become partners in the choice and not the victim of the politics. Understand that the values about health care in Canada and the United States are changing. Have a flexible outlook. The world is changing very fast, and medicine needs to change with it. Innovate; try a new approach; take a risk. Continue to do what you already do best. Try to accept a share of social responsibility. If you really think inappropriate consumption of diagnostic services is occurring, try to deal with it. Cardiologists and radiologists have done innovative, creative things, and few people know about them because not everybody reads scientific journals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Administration, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fulton
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics*; D018166:Health Care Reform; D006801:Humans; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics*; D010819:Physician's Role