End-of-life care? What to do? (Updated)

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Tuesday November 30, 2010 · 5:36 PM PST

2010/11/30 · 17:36

Back to healthcare, about 18 months ago, I sat down to write a book on healthcare. I thought I knew a little bit about healthcare. I've been a trauma surgeon for over 15 years. My father was a family practitioner. I use to help him in his office. So, I've been around healthcare for more than 30 years. I have seen something as simple as an examination table cost more than $1000. But soon, after doing some research, I was overwhelmed by the amount of data and the simple size of the task. Healthcare is a vast monstrosity. It is extremely difficult to get your arms around the whole problem. Therefore, it makes sense to me, that we need to take this problem in small pieces. Let's look at the intensive care unit. In the intensive care unit, physicians practice some of the most advanced medicine that can be found anywhere in the world. Although I do not like case reports (anecdotes) to be an impetus for action, they can illustrate a larger point.

ecthompson

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Tuesday May 11, 2010 · 1:32 AM PDT

2010/05/11 · 01:32

There's a famous line from the TV show M*A*S*H in which Frank Burns says something like, "I think it is okay if we are all have different opinions just as long as we think alike." This is the conservative movement. Over the last couple of years, we've seen the give-and-take that makes us different from conservatives. We've actively argued over withdrawal versus escalation in Afghanistan. We actively argued over the size of the stimulus and how to use the funding. Many of us wanted to help homeowners that were underwater and others thought a huge investment in infrastructure was the best use of our money. We fought over health-care reform. We agreed that we did not get an opportunity to honestly talk about single-payer but what about the public option? Some of us wanted to actively oppose any health-care bill without a public option. Others thought that something was better than nothing.

ecthompson

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Thursday April 22, 2010 · 5:13 PM PDT

2010/04/22 · 17:13

Last week on my radio show, I talked with the wonderful Rikyrah of Jack and Jill Politics and the week before, I had a GREAT conversation with Meteor Blades. Now, let's chat about WaMu.

Poll

22 votes Show Results

What do you think should be done with WaMu

22 votes Vote Now!

What do you think should be done with WaMu

Should be made to live on food stamps

8 votes

They are fine Americans and should be honored

1 vote

Need to root out all of these guys

13 votes

My guest Rikyrah from JJP and Financial Reform

ecthompson

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Friday April 16, 2010 · 10:33 AM PDT

2010/04/16 · 10:33

Last week, I had a great show, if I do say so myself. I had Meteor Blades. He was great. The Errington Thompson Show will look at, discuss and dissect meteorites, volcanoes, nuclear proliferation, terrorism, the state of the financial sector, the progress of the financial bill in the Senate, taxes and the tea partiers. We are happy to welcome from the popular blog, Jack and Jill politics, Rikyrah. Join me this Friday for some fun, entertaining and progressive discussion at 6 PM (EST).

Poll

15 votes Show Results

Which are the following are true about tea partiers?

15 votes Vote Now!

Which are the following are true about tea partiers?

They are nothing but hard working Americans

3 votes

They would look better in white sheets and robes

8 votes

They fight for something I believe in, I just don't know what

0 votes

They may not have an education but they sure are entertaining

4 votes

ET Show - DK's Meteor Blades interview and more

ecthompson

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Friday April 09, 2010 · 11:51 AM PDT

2010/04/09 · 11:51

After taking a two-week hiatus, I come back rested and energized. As usual, I rue I will review the week's top stories. I'll talk about Tiger Woods, Donovan McNabb, nuclear disarmament, Sarah Palin, Michelle Bachmann and that terrible mining accident in West Virginia. My special guest, Meteor Blades of the Daily Kos. Join me at 3 pm EST today, April 9th. This will be fun and entertaining.

ecthompson

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Sunday March 14, 2010 · 12:59 PM PDT

2010/03/14 · 12:59

I'll get to the meat of the issue first. I looks like there is going to be some sort of vote in the House Monday or Tuesday on healthcare reform.

I'd like to start with last Friday in the Bill Moyers Journal. Wendell Potter was his first guest. Mister Potter used to work for the insurance industry and has since had an epiphany. Although Mister Potter points out some flaws in the Bill, he would vote for it. Moyers' next guest was truly explosive. Doctor Marcia Angell is one of the representatives of physicians for a national healthcare program. She opens up on the current health-care bill in the Senate with both barrels. She is thoughtful, critical and informed. You can find the video -- here. You can find the complete transcript -- here. Below is a portion of what she had to say -

ecthompson

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Friday March 12, 2010 · 1:49 PM PST

2010/03/12 · 13:49

Today at 5 pm EST, I'll have Heidi Shierholz from the Economic Policy Institute. I will also have Andy Coates from Physicians for a National Healthcare Program. This is going to be a GREAT show. Now, this is truly Progressive Radio.

ecthompson

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Wednesday March 10, 2010 · 1:36 PM PST

2010/03/10 · 13:36

The great pianist and songwriter Billy Preston once sang, "nothing from nothing leaves nothing." Although over 15 to 16 months I have seen the promise of health care reform start with single-payer and then morph into some sort of public option which, were it robust, should be able to contain health-care costs. This is kind of what the House passed. The Senate, on the other hand, is one confusing mess. Senator Max Baucus was given the keys to the city. I'm not sure what exactly he came up with. As chairman of the finance committee, he was in charge of coming up with a health care bill that was attractive to at least a couple of Republicans. Olympia Snowe and others were courted with sweeteners which seem to have eaten away at the core of health care reform. Senator Kent Conrad decided that he would introduce his own health-care legislation which was some sort of co-op. Although he sold this idea on the Sunday talk shows and pushed it hard for 6-8 weeks, thankfully (hopefully), it is died a quick death.

ecthompson

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Wednesday February 24, 2010 · 5:57 PM PST

2010/02/24 · 17:57

I just spoke with McJoan about the health care debate. We take about 15-20 minutes and discussed the recent developments in this healthcare debate. (My interview with McJoan).

As a trauma surgeon, I've been following this healthcare debate extremely intensely over the last 2 to 3 years. I would like to briefly tell you a story about how healthcare (single-payer -- government payer) is so critically important. The folks on Capitol Hill are heading down the wrong direction. This is a story that can happen to almost any of us.

Poll

50 votes Show Results

What do you expect from tomorrow's healthcare summit?

50 votes Vote Now!

What do you expect from tomorrow's healthcare summit?

Nothing

22 votes

a modest agreement

6 votes

both parties will turn against the health insurance industry

1 vote

A WWF brall will break out

2 votes

John Boehner will leave in the middle of the discussion to go tan

19 votes

On Martin Luther King Day: what is your dream?

ecthompson

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Monday January 18, 2010 · 3:28 PM PST

2010/01/18 · 15:28

Everyone is familiar with Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream speech. Whether you love him or you hate him or you're indifferent to his existence on this earth, you're still aware of the speech. If you're sitting in front of your computers at home, at work or anywhere in between, I would like to ask you a question -- what is your dream?

ecthompson

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Thursday December 03, 2009 · 4:41 AM PST

2009/12/03 · 04:41

Is there anybody who believes that America is about competition? If you believe that America and business love competition, please email me because I have some ~~swamp land~~ ocean front property to sell you out in Idaho. Think about that period in American history after World War II. The big companies got bigger because of competition? No. Of course, there are a few exceptions but as a rule big companies split up the marketplace. Whether it was General Motors, Ford and Chrysler or, in steel, United States Steel, Republic and Bethlehem, these big companies split up the marketplace and made profits. There was no competition. None.

ecthompson

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Tuesday October 27, 2009 · 10:25 AM PDT

2009/10/27 · 10:25

First, I had the great pleasure of speaking with New Orleans mayoral candidate James Perry. During our conversation, we discuss Obama, charter schools, education, Katrina, levees and more. This is a great interview of a magnificent candidate. You can find out more about James Perry. You can listen to my interview.

Let me know what you think of Mr. Perry. Would you vote for him? Will he help New Orleans? Now let me get to Afghanistan.

I think it's pretty well accepted that Al Qaeda has left Afghanistan. They've tucked themselves into the western portion of Pakistan like a tick. So, although the Taliban are an oppressive regime, our goal is not to eliminate the Taliban, is it?

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End-of-life care? What to do? (Updated)

Progressives -- let's fall in line, sort of

What to do with WaMu? Financial Reform #1

My guest Rikyrah from JJP and Financial Reform

ET Show - DK's Meteor Blades interview and more

Summary of a busy health care reform week

The New Face of Progressive Radio

Nothing from nothing leaves healthcare reform?

Healthcare update -- before the Summit

On Martin Luther King Day: what is your dream?

A couple of things on healthcare

What are we doing in Afghanistan?