Southeast Texas Medical Associates, LLP James L. Holly, M.D. Southeast Texas Medical Associates, LLP


Letters - Transmittal Letter To Rejection Article With Concept of Healthcare Paternalism
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Final Draft of Why I Reject The Model Presented at a Recent Conference 

Posting Of A Minister Friend's Response to Above Letter 

While it is not addressed in the above article, fundamental to this discussion is our rejection of "healthcare paternalism."  Patients are no longer passive recipients of care but they are active participants in their care.

Your Life Your Health - Paternalism or Partnership: The Dynamic of the Patient-Centered Transformation

Introduction to:  Why I Left A Conference After The First Session

As each of you know, I flew to Atlanta and returned home on Wednesday after the introductory session at the conference.  I have spent part of yesterday and today to explain my objection to the session which I attended.

I was asked to attend this conference by someone I greatly respect, _______.  I suspect that while we share a common passion for universal healthcare and excellence in that, that we might have some differences of philosophy but maybe not. It has never been necessary for us to discuss these things in order to benefit from what to me has been a valuable, rich and delightful collaboration.  

I did not want my interaction at the conference to be an embarrassment to _____ or to my new friend, _____.  Neither do I want to be offensive to _____.   _____, you don’t need my approbation to know that you are a gifted communicator and a very bright young man.  But, you know by now that I strongly differ with how you see things in regard to the political concepts of “social justice” and “health equity.”  I both practice and believe in the desired result of both but I define them differently and approach the dynamic of generative healthcare transformation differently.

The attached is the final, first draft of my attempt to seriously address these issues.  You may not find the time or the interest to read them and that is your privilege.  I will continue over this weekend to refine this document.  I have not identified your organizations and will not.  If you are interested in discussing any of these issues, I will be happy to do so.  As you already know, you are under no obligation to respond.

I applaud your goals and hope that there is a way for SETMA to support those goals while holding different views as described in this article.

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