NPR has a couple segments about Obama's pick for Surgeon General, Regina Benjamin, that I recommend checking out. She sounds like an outstanding choice--both for her public policy knowledge, experience in the field, and her dedication to the wellbeing of her patients that inspired her to drive to them when her clinic was destroyed (oh, three times--first by hurricane George, Fire, then Hurricane Katrina). She's even accepted oysters and fish in payment for medical services (which in her service area where medical care, let alone medical insurance, is low, and poverty is high was a struggle for her to do and doctors shouldn't have to suffer as much as she has to get by).She's an advocate for rural health, for the health of low income and improverished individuals, and now--for every American's health. Let's hope that the confirmation process will be less politically charged (especially considering that she's a woman of color and apparently Republicans believe that non-white individuals are by nature racists--wow their formulations are getting crazier by the day) than Justice Sotomayor's hearings going on right now.
To be superficial. How come the doctor doesn't look "thin"? I personally dislike doctors who tell me to lose weight and be healthy but they don't practice what they preach.
ReplyDeleteTo be objective. I think it is excelent to pick a doctor who has first hand and recent knowledge with working with the uninsured. This is important because the uninsured/under-insured is the biggest health crises we are facing at this time.
Well, you don't know whether she lectures her patients primarily on weight as a primary indicator of health or if she's one of those, weight is one indicator among many.
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