Letter: Doctor should be patient’s choice

Threats to doctor-patient relationships are explored in the March 8 guest column 'Clinics threaten to sabotage doctor-patient relationships” by Daniel Langfield.

The discussion centers around clinics staffed by those 'employed by the for-profit managed care companies.”

There are all manner of potentially serious conflict of interest situations that patients face on a periodic basis. What if there was a situation in which the patient was forced to see a physician that is not his own?

That circumstance exists in all work injuries, where the patient - the injured employee - sees the physician chosen by his employer.

If we want to avoid conflict of interest, we should address work injuries, and allow the patient free choice of his own physician, for which there is a long-standing doctor-patient relationship, and an understanding of the full health care issues faced by the patient.

From the guest column, and applied to the above - 'These clinics place medical practitioners in direct conflict with the people who employ them.”

Free choice of physician for the injured employee would resolve that issue.

Niles Ross

Cedar Rapids