There's been a lot of talk around these parts about how the Dems need to become a true reform party, and how that means having a coherent position on issues rather than simply reacting to what the GOP brings up.
I had an experience today that made me think there's a lot of room to get ahead when it comes to the practice of medicine.
Today the biotech startup I work for was inspected by a certifying organization. We spent the last couple days preparing for this inspection, most of which centered around whether we have generated enough three ring binders with detailed Standard Operating Procedures. The certification is somewhat like accreditation for universities - a brand new university that doesn't get accredited may just be experiencing growing pains, but it definitely has a harder time getting students.
Who do you suppose walks in this morning to inspect us but a competitor of ours, who has a side business selling template SOP's to laboratories? This guy spent the whole day narrowly interpreting the certification rules to show how we were not producing enough three ring binders. If this sounds like exaggeration to you, he literally presented to our Medical Director the requirement that we have a three ring binder on how to use a microscope (open door of room with microscope, look into microscope, focus microscope, etc.)
Now before you chalk it up to the company happening to get a shady inspector, think a bit about the landscape of the medical industry. Want to get FDA approval for a new bed in nursing homes? Three ring binders. Want to get permission to sell a medical test or a drug? Whole floors full of dusty three ring binders. And God forbid one of those three rings binders contain a provision that a competitor can use to trip you up. Feeling some anti-bureaucratic sentiment yet? Maybe some wingnut thoughts flitting through your head?
Here's the opportunity:
We are the party of government, so let's make it good government. Following on the heels of HIPAA and the Reduction of Paperwork Act, let's promote a Medical De-Bureacratization Act. Rewrite some laws to fit the times, shake the bureaucracies up a bit and refocus them on the real safety of real people.
Doctors are small businesses, and they are largely humanitarians and natural Democrats - as well as small businesspeople. Let's pull out the wedge between businessperson and humanitarian by finding out how we can help them practice good medicine easily, including our own version of malpractice reform. We would at least earn some healthcare-related political capital, for use in the Great March to Universal Healthcare, and at best bring down the cost of healthcare for everyone