I certainly don’t have all the answers, but have a lot of questions, as a consumer. I have no experience with Virginia Mason, and the care that they provide there, or how they treat their employees, how they contract their services, and what their driving motivations might be. I’m concerned in the welfare of people, as a social worker, from all social and economic backgrounds. While I have mixed feelings on the topic of universal health care, I believe strongly that the health care industry, at all levels, should put the care of people first, and profits second. I didn’t go into the service of helping people because I thought I could make bank – I did it to help people and the hopes that I could also financially keep my head above water. It turns out, that the jobs in my vocation often barely pay enough for me to be out of the window of qualifying for housing assistance (not that I’ve ever applied.) The health care industry would do a better service to it’s consumers if it wasn’t drawn to the wealth, but drawn to the health of their consumers. I know that might make it hard to attract the best CEO’s – but maybe it’s not just the CEO’s – maybe it’s the people in between.

To be clear, too, I’m not looking for a legislative change so much as a change in the hearts of those who serve others. Human beings are more than patient ID numbers, and having worked side by side with doctors and nurses, I can understand the pressures of minimizing the human interest, and just going home to comfort.

Like I said, I don’t have the answers – but I want to have the freedom to ask the questions – and I think that all consumers have rights to seek answers.

Thanks, Mike. Thanks for reading my blog.