Monday, June 2, 2008

Conductors for the Health Train Express


Quote of the day:
Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build a bridge even where there is no river. - Nikita Khrushchev

 

It's been a very long time since I have been on a train. I remember them as walking down the aisles of passenger cars punching your ticket.  Do they still exist?

I think "Health Train Express"  needs fewer ticket punchers.

When was the last time you thought about a Surgeon General?

The last one I remember was  David Satcher , before that the memorable  C. Everett Koop .   I am not certain why but the most memorable Surgeon Generals  had beards.

image

The complete List of Surgeon Generals is here.

Another Surgeon General was Jocelyn Elders,  who I like to call the "equal opportunity"  Surgeon General.  She was both a woman and an African-American . General Elders was a very outspoken leader....she was however politically incorrect, a proponent for sex education, introducing Condom in public school.  She was summarily drummed out...

Condom rolled

Some of these "Generals" actually were Admirals...but I have not heard of any called "Surgeon Admirals".

Whatever  has happened to our current  surgeon general?

Rear Admiral Steven K. Galson, M.D., M.P.H.

photo of RADM Steven K. Galson, M.D., M.P.H., Acting Surgeon GeneralSince October 2007, Rear Admiral Steven K. Galson, M.D., M.P.H., has served as the Acting Surgeon General of the United States. As the nation's top public health physician, the Surgeon General communicates the best science, evidence, and data to the American people in order for them to make healthy choices that impact their health, safety, and security. Additionally, he serves as the operational Commander of the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service, a uniformed force of 6,000 health professional officers dedicated to promoting, protecting, and advancing the health and safety of the people of the United States.

I am sure he is an excellent Surgeon General, but why has been "acting"  for so long.  Is this a rehearsal, or Audition for the part?

Now you ask what does any of this have to do with caring for patients.....???Nothing, nada...............just like most of what we read, or hear about medical care.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

He is acting, because he can't be confirmed. The notion of a surgen general hides behind the objectivity that was once a general. Some law was passed that makes battlefield commanders direct reports of presidents, which means that their abilities as the fighters of wars has been totally compromised by their abilities to fight politically. The surgen general is no different. In this administration, they continue the war on science as much as any other political hack appointee. So it is a good thing that his acting is up to his acting even if he is a competent good guy. They all need to be fired. They if they are good guys made an error in their career judgement, because they will be fired.