Dermatology, medical care, the government, and us

Several economic factors are forcing changes in the American health care system. Many of these future changes will be implemented by the government. If left unguided, the governmental agencies could regulate doctors' practices, duties, and fees and place them in a bureaucratic maze. The cost of these changes to society may not represent either a cash saving or increased quality of medical care. Some of the anticipated changes could make medicine a less rewarding intellectual career. We, as dermatologists, should be aware of these changes as they affect our specialty, and we should actively work with our governmental authorities to ensure that any changes in our profession will really benefit the tax-paying public.