Have You Hugged Your AMA Doctor Today?
Published June 26, 2005
The American Medical Association is launching a $60 million public relations campaign that includes heartstring-tugging ads that portray doctors as "everyday heroes."
The radio, television and print campaign, which began two weeks ago, depicts real-life AMA doctors — or at least the attractive ones with made-for-television smiles — along with patients praising them.
Exactly who is the AMA marketing to, you ask? It's not like the average viewer will choose to go to, say, a tree surgeon or spin doctor when they get sick.
The AMA is losing out on market share. An internal AMA report reported the AMA lost members in 2004 for the fifth straight year, and only can count one in four doctors and medical students nationwide as members. At one time, the AMA represented nearly 70% of the nation's doctors and medical students.
The trade group's influence has suffered because of medical specialty organizations, and the growing perception that it is more concerned with its own viability than protecting patients — through measures such as education, as well as disciplining errant doctors.
***
Frequent AMA critic Dr. Sidney Wolfe of the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen told the Associated Press that he is troubled by the messenger, not the message.
"Doctors know that they are doing wonderful things. We can have a profound impact on people's lives," said Wolfe, a physician. "But they would have to go a long way to paint the American Medical Association as heroes."
He told the AP that the AMA has hurt patients by focusing on malpractice reform rather than the "grossly inadequate disciplining of doctors." Wolfe also faults the AMA for not taking a leadership position on the need for universal health care.
***
To read more from David R. Mark, check out Journalists Against Bush's B.S. (JABBS)
- Have You Hugged Your AMA Doctor Today?
- Published: June 26, 2005
- Type: News
- Section: Sci/Tech
- Filed Under: Culture: Business and Economics, Culture: Media, Sci/Tech: Science
- Writer: David R. Mark
- David R. Mark's BC Writer page
- David R. Mark's personal site
- Spread the Word
- Like this article?
- Email this
Save to del.icio.us
Comments on this articleComments
Add your comment, speak your mind
(Or ping: http://blogcritics.org/mt/tb/31624)
David quoting Dr. Sidney Wolfe: "He told the AP that the AMA has hurt patients by focusing on malpractice reform rather than the "grossly inadequate disciplining of doctors." Wolfe also faults the AMA for not taking a leadership position on the need for universal health care."
Reply: I agree with Dr. Wolfe. As a physician and former member of the AMA (and the American College of Physicians, and the Southern Medical Association, and the...well, you get the picture), the AMA is just as you state, a "trade organization." Their purpose is to promote the trade. I have not been able to support their views on the American health care system for many years now.
Doctors, and certainly the AMA, are not heroes. They never were. They are people plying a trade. Yes, it is a worthy trade but a trade, nonetheless. Until the AMA starts advocating - or even recognizing - that the health care system in America needs serious renovation, I cannot support them. They are, like all trade assocations and unions, dedicated to promoting the status quo. And the status quo is broke. Partially due to the often-outrageous physician fees and many other factors, too numerous to recount here.
If the AMA want to get out the spith and polish to remove some of the years of tarnish let them say this in their PR campaign: "Our member physicians have unanimously voted a resolution that one day per week, member physicians will see indigent care patients for free. Pediatric and prenatal care will be the highest priority but physicians will also open their doors in all specialities and subspecialties."
That is the best way the AMA can serve the best interests of this country. But that is not their purpose and, sadly, never will be.
Cheers,
Ron