PUBLICATION
Vital Signs is published to tell the real story of what is going on in health care in the community and what Coalition of Concerned Medical Professionals is doing about it.
Call or stop by to pick up the latest issue.
Articles Authored by Members
by Chelsea Beck, R.N.
In my work as a nurse over the last twelve years I have cared for seniors in a variety of settings. I currently work at an organization that cares for low-income elderly community members. We provide medical care, mental health care, physical and occupational therapy, speech therapy, social work, nutrition services, transportation and home care. Although this program is a great attempt at providing the comprehensive care elderly people need, we sometimes fall short. This is not due to lack of effort; it is due to lack of funding which leads to short staffing and limitations to the services we can provide. If our program had the amount of funding it would take to fully provide the services we strive to give our seniors, we could deliver excellent care. However, there are currently gaps in the care seniors receive, gaps often bridged by health care staff, family members and neighbors, etc.
Elder Care in America: A Nurse’s Perspective
Gasping for Air: My Experience as a Pulmonologist during the COVID-19 Pandemic
by Vala Berjis, M.D.
In our medical practice, we strive to provide the highest standard of care, but systemic barriers often impede our ability to do so. I am grateful that my role with CCMP allowed me to intervene in this case, where swift action was crucial in diagnosis and treatment. The partnership empowered me to deliver the level of healthcare I was trained to provide, embodying the ethical principles of my profession.
Every day in the hospital is a vivid reminder of the human cost associated with our inadequate healthcare system. I witnessed firsthand the devastating consequences of policy inadequacies and resource shortages. There were moments where I felt helpless as we treated patients whose lives were at stake, battling not just their ailments but also the systemic failures that exacerbated their conditions.
My Experience in Private Practice and at a Large Hospital: The Challenges of Practicing Medicine in a For-Profit Industry
by Lori Shore-Mouratoff, M.D.
I was surprised when I was graduating medical school that my dad gave me a piece of advice, “Don’t have your own practice”. “Why?”, I asked. All he said was “It’s too much of a headache.” And so when I finished residency, I became an employee.
My first few years on the job, I couldn’t believe they were actually paying me to do what I love. I worked in a primary care clinic and was busy and happy. Not only was I able to support people with whatever acute issues needed help but also discuss the why’s and how’s and what to do’s of the situation - complete care. I never felt rushed and never told someone to come for another appointment for a second issue.
Then something interesting happened. Around 2008, doctor reimbursement rates went down and the cost of medical supplies and staffing went up. The hospital claimed financial difficulties and implemented a hiring freeze. Simple math dictated that change was coming, and as an employee of a large medical corporation, I had no choice about what happened next. For the hospital to make their financial goals, more patients would need to be seen in the same amount of time.
