Should HMO's and hospitals be for-profit? Should we withhold taxpayers' money (Medicare) from hospital boards which fraudulently understaff hospital wards and clinics to protect profits, disregarding professional standards (c.f. American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology-standards for Maternity Units). Why should we allow greed or careerism to endanger patients, while the administrator collects a salary supported in part by taxation? Under the circumstances, his salary is a ransom paid in 'blood money'. In an age of computers, what percentage of medical money should we spend on adminstrative salaries? How many adminstrators can we allow to waste money on carpets and furniture for their offices rather than invest in care on salaries for people who work with patients? When a newborn infant suddenly needs oxygen, how many people shout, "Is there a hospital administrator in the house?"
Implicit in acccepting public money is the social contract to disburse that money for the public good, and to conduct the public business for the public good, which is why any entity accepting Medicare money should be required to support due process in peer review.
