Letter to the Editor:

It is always good to see public participation in the health care debate grow, as evidenced by the new National Institute of Health Policy. However, we at Citizens' Council on Health Care are concerned about the institute's assertion that health care practitioners should practice in groups, rather than working independently with individual patients.

Sharing of information between professionals is very useful, as long as doctors have the freedom to practice according to the needs of their patients. Every human body is individual, and therefore all cannot be cured or treated in the same manner. To tie the hands of doctors by group decision-making can prevent patients from receiving the very individualized care they need.

It is clear that payers of medical bills, primarily employers, health plans, and the government officials want to contain costs. As a result, a variety of external controls on physicians are common in HMOs and government programs.

However, the answer to containing costs and improving patient satisfaction lies in restoring access to non-managed care insurance options, and creating financial incentives for patients which encourage proper utilization of health care services.

We hope that the institute will consider this foremost in its forthcoming policy recommendations.

Twila Brase, R.N.

President, CCHC