[Vision2020] Fwd: Moscow Medical

[Donovan Arnold]

Dr. Brown,

Rather than giving a 1 and 1/2 page spiel explaining
the statement, just change it if that is not what you
really mean. That statement is frightening to look at
on a web-page from a group of people working at any
medical facility.

No rational person is arguing that doctors should not
be compensated for their services, so to include that
philosophical statement in your mission only damages
your image as a caring facility recognizing human
dignity and patient rights. 

Take Care,

Donovan J Arnold






--- "John B. Brown" <drbrown at moscow.com> wrote:

> 
> 
> Begin forwarded message:
> 
> > From: John B. Brown <drbrown at moscow.com>
> > Date: September 18, 2005 12:21:36 PM PDT
> > To: vision2020 at moscow.com
> > Subject: Moscow Medical
> >
> > Vision 2020 folks,
> >      I note that Tim has posed our Vision
> statement, and that it has 
> > caused some consternation.  First, I have to take
> responsibility for 
> > the statement about health care not being a basic
> human right.  In 
> > retrospect I think I could have worded that part
> less provocatively.  
> > My intent was to relay the idea that the better
> way of looking at 
> > providing health care was that it was a
> responsibility for as a 
> > medical community, and as a society in general, to
> provide for the 
> > health and needs of our neighbors, rather than a
> right to be demanded 
> > as if it, by nature, belonged to the person
> demanding it.  If health 
> > care is a natural human right than my failure to
> provide it on demand, 
> > or to ask for payment for providing it, is theft
> of someone else's 
> > property, or so it seems to me.  Our society seems
> to like to discuss 
> > care of our neighbors in terms of "rights" rather
> than 
> > responsibilities.  It has been my experience as a
> military physician 
> > in a "free" medical environment that this concept
> used in the 
> > doctor/patient relationship creates a fair amount
> of antagonism, as 
> > well as an undervaluing of the medical resources
> being provided.  So, 
> > just emerging from this environment 7 years ago,
> and thinking about 
> > and wanting to take seriously Jesus' commands to
> care for the weak and 
> > helpless, and the "preferential preference" for
> the poor, I came up, 
> > with the help of my partners, with that last part
> of the statement.  
> > We have talked several times in the last few years
> about changing the 
> > wording to be less "in your face" as that was not
> our intention.
> >      Ms Huskey wonders if we think that God's
> providence means not 
> > treating disease.  Far from it.  We are to fight
> against the ravages 
> > of hunger, war, pestilence, bigotry, etc with all
> our strength and 
> > hearts and minds.  This is part of loving our
> neighbor and exercising 
> > dominion which we are all called to do.  I gladly
> use all the tools 
> > available to me to perform these tasks, as do all
> the physicians I 
> > know.  What it doesn't mean is using those tools
> to fight those things 
> > which are themselves good, such as using them to
> end life either at 
> > its beginning or at its end.  I can certainly
> understand the fear of 
> > suffering and death- I have certainly seen enough
> of both and hate 
> > them.  But I also understand that suffering and
> death provide some of 
> > our best chances for heroism and selflessness, and
> that faced with 
> > courage they can have immense human value.  This
> is a basic Christian 
> > idea, probably common to most religions, that Good
> can and will come 
> > out of Evil, and that in the end, Evil does not
> win.  Our statement is 
> > our poor attempt to reflect some of those
> realities, as is our 
> > practice of medicine.  As Christians, we
> understand these truths in 
> > Christian terms and with Christian vocabulary.  I
> think the majority 
> > of them can be grasped through the natural law
> common to all 
> > humankind.  Finding value in enduring and fighting
> bravely the 
> > despicable things that come into our lives does
> not mean we approve or 
> > desire them.  I hope that is clear.  If there are
> still doubts about 
> > what we three doctors are about, please feel free
> to talk to our 
> > patients and neighbors, and, if it is not too
> intimidating, talk to 
> > us.  I attend St. Mary's Church and know most of
> the people there.  If 
> > you still think we are a chilling, ie "wicked"
> influence in the 
> > community, I would hope you would at least do us
> the courtesy of doing 
> > so after obtaining  the best information available
> to you, especially 
> > if you are going to do this in a public forum.
> >
> > John Brown, MD
> >
> >
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