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Rules hamper health care

The Spokesman-Review

A serious problem with federal guidelines in medicine is they treat patients as groups rather than individuals, which is essential for the expert practice of medicine. A woman in her 60s with no genetic predisposition for breast cancer may never need a mammogram, while a lady in her 30s whose mother and sister both had breast cancer should probably have an annual mammogram or even consider a prophylactic mastectomy.

Guidelines also tend to stifle innovation. Here in Spokane in the ’70s, forward-thinking cardiologists and thoracic surgeons applied invasive surgical techniques in the treatment of acute heart attacks with great success. This has since evolved into simpler catheter techniques, has become universal and has saved countless lives.

I fear with new federal policy that dictates the practice of medicine, progress like this will not be possible.

Terry Judge, M.D.

Spokane

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