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The interview ends. The line goes dead. A senior CDC official has resigned, not because the science changed, but because the room did. Within forty-eight hours, CDC Director Monarez is fired by tweet, three senior leaders walk out, and a deputy from HHS (Jim O’Neill, a Silicon Valley investor turned political enforcer) is slotted in as acting CDC chief. The headlines say turmoil. That is the polite word for capture.
Recently, I approached a number of physicians and IT experts about investigating the colorectal cancer screening status of patients in our health system. Who was not screened at all? Were some patients receiving excessive testing? Why? These are relatively simple questions, but their answers could identify breakdowns in care and suggest potential solutions.
“I'm already beat. The trick is to not let the caring get to you.” These were the words recently uttered by one of my physician colleagues, referring to the stresses of caring for patients in the world of modern health care. The weariness was clear over the phone. Without missing a step, I responded, “I know. Of course.” It took me weeks to realize that it might be concerning that I immediately empathized with her sense of being submerged and overpowered by an uncaring health care system.
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