What can be done to refocus physicians attention on the doctor-patient relationship?
Dickey: Let me give you an example of what we have already accomplished. Doing away with gag clauses was extraordinarily important. It reminded both physicians and patients that the lure of signing a contract might cause them to minimize something that turns out to be extraordinarily important: freedom of communication. We said, in effect, “You cannot have gag clauses. If there are gag clauses, you cannot sign the contract.” I think this action by the AMA began the process of educating patients. It said to them, “Be careful. Just getting your health care paid for may extract too high a price.” I think both physicians in seeking payment, and patients in seeking coverage, are going to have to begin to ask tough questions about what price is being asked of them.
