Government regulations in healthcare are getting in the way of physicians' ability to do what they do best and enjoy the most--helping people live healthier lives, according to Steven Stack, M.D., president of the American Medical Association.
Stack, in an interview with the Chicago Tribune, says that today's government regulation is "excessive."
"We are now not only told to take good care of patients, but how to provide care," he tells the paper. "We're told what tools we must use. We're measured by metrics that may not even be germane to what we're doing."
He adds that one particular point of frustration is electronic health records. Stack says they are a "point of infuriation." The tools, he says, are old and outdated, and that causes efficiency and communication issues within health systems.
He adds that other frustrations in healthcare include consolidation in the insurance industry as well as the shortage of pharmaceuticals.
Stack has long been critical of the government's role in healthcare. In February he said the AMA applauded the Meaningful Use attestation extension for eligible professionals, but in the same breath also criticized the program, saying that the new deadline "underscores that the Meaningful Use program" is failing.
The AMA also previously supported eliminating ICD--10. However, the new code set was put into action this past October.
To learn more:
- here's the Tribune article