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The Utility of Ranking Ophthalmology CentersThe Ranking of Ophthalmology Centers in Ophthalmology and Lay Publications Is Not Appropriate for Medicine in Today's Business WorldConsumer Information (Publication Type)consumer information (publication type)CONTROVERSIES (Schachat AP, ed)controversies (schachat ap, ed)Health Care Evaluation Mechanismshealth care evaluation mechanismsPeriodicalsperiodicalsPopular Works [Publication Type]popular works aDanielFinkelsteinBaltimore, MdNot AvailableWHEN I entered medical school 37 years ago, my ultimate goal was to pursue excellence in the service of patient care, research, and teaching. This virtuous and humanitarian goal flowed from values instilled by my family. The one value that I continue to hold above all others is that every patient is a disadvantaged person to whom my utmost respect is due. Unfortunately, with recent changes in medicine emphasizing the profit motive, physicians must be very careful not to distort medicine's professional hallmark, which is to serve the best interest of the individual patient, unencumbered by financial conflict of interest.The ways in which ranking distorts the hallmark image of the profession follow below.RANKING AS A BUSINESS-

The Utility of Ranking Ophthalmology CentersThe Ranking of Ophthalmology Centers in Ophthalmology... CONTROVERSIES SECTION EDITOR: ANDREW P. SCHACHAT, MD The Utility of Ranking Ophthalmology Centers The Ranking of Ophthalmology Centers in Ophthalmology and Lay Publications Is Not Appropriate for Medicine in Today’s Business World HEN I entered dignity and destiny of a human tween patient and physician. In par- medical school person.” ticular, patients who are disadvan- 37 years ago, taged because of illness are then my ultimate RANKING TREATS MEDICINE manipulated and/or frightened to- W goal was to AS A COMMODITY RATHER ward a highly ranked institution for pursue excellence in the service of THAN A VIRTUOUS fear of losing their vision at the hands patient care, research, and teaching. RESPONSIBILITY of a lower-ranked institution. This virtuous and humanitarian Periodicals and highly ranked goal flowed from values instilled by There can be practical justification for institutions rationalize the ranking my family. The one value that I con- ranking the quality of consumer items technique by stating that it pro- tinue to hold above all others is that such as “the best family sedan un- vides an important service to pa- every patient is a disadvantaged der $20 000” using objective criteria tients. In fact, I believe it is not a http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png JAMA Ophthalmology American Medical Association

The Utility of Ranking Ophthalmology CentersThe Ranking of Ophthalmology Centers in Ophthalmology and Lay Publications Is Not Appropriate for Medicine in Today's Business WorldConsumer Information (Publication Type)consumer information (publication type)CONTROVERSIES (Schachat AP, ed)controversies (schachat ap, ed)Health Care Evaluation Mechanismshealth care evaluation mechanismsPeriodicalsperiodicalsPopular Works [Publication Type]popular works aDanielFinkelsteinBaltimore, MdNot AvailableWHEN I entered medical school 37 years ago, my ultimate goal was to pursue excellence in the service of patient care, research, and teaching. This virtuous and humanitarian goal flowed from values instilled by my family. The one value that I continue to hold above all others is that every patient is a disadvantaged person to whom my utmost respect is due. Unfortunately, with recent changes in medicine emphasizing the profit motive, physicians must be very careful not to distort medicine's professional hallmark, which is to serve the best interest of the individual patient, unencumbered by financial conflict of interest.The ways in which ranking distorts the hallmark image of the profession follow below.RANKING AS A BUSINESS-

JAMA Ophthalmology , Volume 118 (11) – Nov 1, 2000
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Publisher
American Medical Association
Copyright
Copyright 2000 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved. Applicable FARS/DFARS Restrictions Apply to Government Use.
ISSN
2168-6165
eISSN
2168-6173
DOI
10.1001/archopht.118.11.1579
Publisher site
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Abstract

CONTROVERSIES SECTION EDITOR: ANDREW P. SCHACHAT, MD The Utility of Ranking Ophthalmology Centers The Ranking of Ophthalmology Centers in Ophthalmology and Lay Publications Is Not Appropriate for Medicine in Today’s Business World HEN I entered dignity and destiny of a human tween patient and physician. In par- medical school person.” ticular, patients who are disadvan- 37 years ago, taged because of illness are then my ultimate RANKING TREATS MEDICINE manipulated and/or frightened to- W goal was to AS A COMMODITY RATHER ward a highly ranked institution for pursue excellence in the service of THAN A VIRTUOUS fear of losing their vision at the hands patient care, research, and teaching. RESPONSIBILITY of a lower-ranked institution. This virtuous and humanitarian Periodicals and highly ranked goal flowed from values instilled by There can be practical justification for institutions rationalize the ranking my family. The one value that I con- ranking the quality of consumer items technique by stating that it pro- tinue to hold above all others is that such as “the best family sedan un- vides an important service to pa- every patient is a disadvantaged der $20 000” using objective criteria tients. In fact, I believe it is not a

Journal

JAMA Ophthalmology – American Medical Association

Published: Nov 1, 2000

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