Outrage on the Health Train Express

Let us all pause for a moment on this Passover Seder Night and ask “why is this night different from all other nights"?”

Listen up. We are in the midst of a budgetary crisis. Standard & Poor's is about to downgrade the U.S. Government as a reliable debtor, health care reform threatens to bankrupt  the  Government, and we are told if we do not make the changes we will go bankrupt anyway.

In  the midst of EMR arguments pro and con, transparency issues, outcome studies, and plans for ACOs from  out of Michigan comes this late breaking story from the American College of Surgeons.  I somehow or other know now why I never went after that  FACS title, FAAO was enough.

The New York Times ran this story by Tara Parker-Pope who must have laughed all the way to wherever she goes at the end of a day.

I know I and several other well known bloggers thought this was hilarious, although admittedly none (at least me) would admit to being an academic

(evil looking, discredited surgeon, tongue-in-cheek)

(picture at least 20 years old, maybe 30)

Dr. Greenfield, 78, was the editor in chief of Surgery News when the editorial was published but resigned that position in the wake of the controversy; and not only was the article retracted, but all existence and reference to that issue were expunged from the scientific literature.  The entire issue of the newspaper was withdrawn.

Lazar Greenfield is one of the truly pre-eminent, almost legendary figures in modern general surgery.

Dr Greenfield is a Professor-Emeritus of General Surgery at the University of Michigan. In ordinary lay language that means ‘retired’.

The Valentine’s Day Massacre

 Forget chocolate on Valentine’s Day, try semen, says Surgery News editor. Retraction, resignation  follow.

IMHO, the only ones discredited is the ACS for electing him and for the General Surgery Journal for printing the article in the first place.The position is obviously one of honor given in reward for a long and dignified and respected career.  Perhaps the position should go to a younger surgeon still actively engaged in practice. The position is also obviously a ‘political appointment’, and much like political appointments, the appointee goes down in disgrace.

I hope that Dr. Lazar Greenfield (retired) is enjoying retirement, away from controversy and high risk adventure, as well as sperm counts.

I pray he is laughing out  loud  each month when he draws his pension from the bank.

And now he is truly a LEGEND, among great and famous surgeons.  All who trained with him will have an unforgettable story to tell their residents !