Emergency Room Doctor Writes About the Health Care Crisis- Commentary!

Emergency Room Doctor Writes About the Health Care Crisis- Commentary!

Summary of the eRumor:
This is a forwarded email with comments made by Dr. Starner Jones regarding an experience in the emergency room of the hospital where he practices medicine. Dr. Jones warns "that our nation's 'health care crisis' is not the result of a shortage of quality hospitals, doctors or nurses. Rather, it is the result of a 'crisis of culture.'"

The Truth:
Doctor Roger Starner Jones specializes in emergency medicine at The University of Mississippi medical Center and wrote this letter to the editor of the Clarion Ledger. It appeared in the August 29, 2009 edition of Jackson, Mississippi newspaper.

Many versions of this email appear to be addressed to President Obama which is incorrect. Dr. Jones' version was addressed as "Dear Sirs:" Click for Dr. Jones' commentary.

updated 01/21/10

A real example of the eRumor as it has appeared on the Internet:

Dear Mr. President:

During my shift in the Emergency Room last night, I had the pleasure of evaluating a patient whose smile revealed an expensive shiny gold tooth, whose body was adorned with a wide assortment of elaborate and costly tattoos, who wore a very expensive brand of tennis shoes and who chatted on a new cellular telephone equipped with a popular R&B ringtone.

While glancing over her patient chart, I happened to notice that her payer status was listed as "Medicaid"! During my examination of her, the patient informed me that she smokes more than one costly pack of cigarettes every day and somehow still has money to buy pretzels and beer.

And, you and our Congress expect me to pay for this woman's health care? I contend that our nation's "health care crisis" is not the result of a shortage of quality hospitals, doctors or nurses. Rather, it is the result of a "crisis of culture", a culture in which it is perfectly acceptable to spend money on luxuries and vices while refusing to take care of one's self or, heaven forbid, purchase health insurance. It is a culture based in the irresponsible credo that "I can do whatever I want to because someone else will always take care of me".

Once you fix this "culture crisis" that rewards irresponsibility and dependency, you'll be amazed at how quickly our nation's health care difficulties will disappear.

Respectfully,

STARNER JONES, MD