You thought doctors were free of outsourcing worries?

[powayseller]

I used to think that any job that requires consumer face-to-face interation, such as surgery, is safe from outsourcing.

Not so.

The new trend is for employers to send their employees overseas for expensive procedures. We’ve all read about “medical tourism”. This is a new trend, and in the story cited below, the employee even gets paid a $10,000 bonus for his troubles.

Are any US jobs safe anymore?

US Employers Look offshore for Healthcare

[bob007]

lot of doctors and dentists were overpaid.

my dentist in san diego billed me for $1000 for a 2 hour procedure. i am not sure even if it was necessary.

[powayseller]

Surgeons make $250K/year, even in small towns. That seems reasonable, for all the expenses and work of medical school, right? Lawyers make that much, too, even in San Diego. It’s much harder to make it through med school than law school. I have a brother and a sister in each profession, making at the top of their pay range. It was hard work to get there.

[VCJIM]

I agree PS. Given all the hard work, hours, necessary loans, etc., many doctors are just paid o.k. Remember, most G.P.s don’t start earning real money until they’re almost completely through residency. Let’s take your average person, graduate college at 22, medical school for 4 years, residency for 3 years (assuming no specialty). By the age of 28-29, you get your first paycheck! While we’re on the subject, most people have no idea how much mal-practice insurance costs. The last time I knew, it was something like $20K / year.

[bob007]

if most people cannot afford a medical service at the current high rates there is no reason why the service should be at the current high rates ? logic is similar to houses. think about it. Take away insurance and govt intervention. See where things go.

[bob007]

why should medical college begin at 22 ? Any reason why high school grads who meet the prerequistes be admitted ?

A PhD in engineering/sciences finishes school at age 28 and works for 70-100k salary.

[VCJIM]

Sure, why not…look at Doogie Houser.

[bob007]

salary of dentists is high compared to the fact there is little risk in those professions. they work 8-5 four days a week.

[Daniel]

The surest way to make something unaffordable is to have the government subsidize it on the demand side (a.k.a. tax breaks for buyers). What are the sectors that pinch our pocketbooks the most? Housing, health care, education. What are the sectors with the highest demand-side subsidies? Housing, health care, education. Coincidence? I think not. If the government gave us tax breaks to buy cars and sofas, you can bet the price of those would get out of reach, too.

PS: OK, I’m exagerating a bit. But it’s allowed on this forum, right? 🙂

[powayseller]

The American economy is being outsourced in its entirety. What will remain? Service techs, that’s all. CPAs, lawyers, doctors, can do your work remotely in India, or you can travel there to have it done for less. But need your carpet shampoed? The guy who does that has job security.

[bob007]

Daniel:
you are on the money. If government (and businesses) do not pay for medicine we would not have an affordability crisis in health care sector.

[bob007]

powayseller:
medicine cannot be completely outsourced. in fact only a small fraction can.

for that matter tech or mfg jobs cannot be completely outsourced.

[Daniel]

That’s also a bit of exaggeration, PS. Generally speaking, the American economy does pretty well, believe it or not. Even manufacturing is not as weak as the headlines would suggest. GM and Delphi are the exceptions, not the rule.

Now, there have been and there will be recessions, bear markets, and such, but overall we’re in pretty good shape. Millions of jobs are gone, but we also have millions of jobs that didnd’t even exist years ago. If you look at only one side of the coin you’re bound to get depressed and angry. The American and world economies have had a great run in the last 25 years, with hiccups here and there. And no, it was not just smoke and mirrors. Living standars here and accross the world have increased tremendously.

[sdrealtor]

bob007,
Salary of dentists is not high considering they have one of the suicide rates. they also have much higher risk than you think because most dr’s are paid by insurance while most dentists relie on people to pay their own way.

[Peace]

I have a brother-in-law who is a radiologist and that field is being outsourced to India – makes sense to me, last time I went to Mayo Clinic, my X-Rays were read by a radiologist at the clinic in Rochester while I sat at the clinic in Scottsdale. Why not send X-Rays to be read by radiologists in India for a fraction of the salary?
And if anyone thinks our medical care is cheaper (or better) here in the U.S. than all the other industrialized nations with universal health care then you haven’t seen the figures.
Friend was just contacted for a teacher’s position in Scottsdale, pay $36,000, not bad you say? Then found out that health insurance benefit will cost $750/mo, so subtract $9,000 from that salary and you’re left with $27,000 – not even enough to live in Metro-Phoenix no matter how bad that RE crashes!

[Author]

Posts