Health Care Conscription? Drafting Doctors?

[Major Carrales]

OK, I was reading this on Wikipedia and was wondering if anyone had ever heard of it and why such a thing would be needed.

From Wikipedia...

Health Care Personnel Delivery SystemOn December 1, 1989, Congress ordered the Selective Service System to put in place a system capable of drafting "persons qualified for practice or employment in a health care and professional occupation", if such a special-skills draft should be ordered by Congress.[58] In response, Selective Service published plans for the "Health Care Personnel Delivery System " (HCPDS) in 1989 and has had them ready ever since. The concept underwent a preliminary field exercise in Fiscal Year 1998, followed by a more extensive nationwide readiness exercise in Fiscal Year 1999. The HCPDS plans include women and men ages 20-54 in 57 different job categories.[59] As of May 2003, the Defense Department has said the most likely form of draft is a special skills draft, probably of health care workers.[60]

Might this be a reaction to some threat of Biological Warefare?

Should CAP develop it's Medical/Health Service directorate to meet such a need?

I just thought I would post this to garner reactions and out of curiosity.  No agenda, just want to see what you blokes know.

[mikeylikey]

It is a good thing to be able to draft health care professionals in a timely manner. 

They did it during the world wars, and Korea.  It might happen within the next two years depending on what happens in the middle east. 

I am opposed to a general draft, (I have problems to work out with people that joined the military voluntarily, can you imagine what problems there would be with people forcibly conscripted??) but a limited draft of professionals makes sense.  Doctors, clergy, linguists etc. 

[Short Field]

Even with the pro pay, most doctors make more in private practice than in the military - especially ones in high demand specialities.  This greatly lessens their desire to volunteer to serve.   The plan is to make sure we have enough medical personnel in the event of a major war - or a long drawn out minor war.

Once upon a time, I was a medic working with draftee doctors. They came on active duty with grades ranging from Capt to Lt Col, depending on their board certifications.  Most were great people and super medical professionals.  However, they were not great officers as everyone was just counting the days until they got out.  .  Some could have given Hawkeye in M.A.S.H. lessons in messing with the system.

[RRLE]

Let's go to the "horse's mouth" . The link is to the Selective Service System: Fast Facts: MEDICAL DRAFT IN STANDBY MODE

extract:

The Health Care Personnel Delivery System (HCPDS) is a standby plan developed for the Selective Service System at the request of Congress. If needed it would be used to draft health care personnel in a crisis. It is designed to be implemented in connection with a national mobilization in an emergency, and then only if Congress and the President approve the plan and pass and sign legislation to enact it. No portion of the plan is designed for implementation in peacetime. If implemented,

In essence, the 'plan' is shelfware.

[PA Guy]

This "plan" is nothing more than an academic exercise for someone with too much time and or money on their hands.

In a WMD incident there isn't going to be time to draft, train, credential and field providers.

As far as CAP is concerned, this is something you sit around at the pizza joint after the meeting and BS about.

I'm not holding my breath waiting for the notice.

[flyerthom]

Even with the pro pay, most doctors make more in private practice than in the military - especially ones in high demand specialities.  This greatly lessens their desire to volunteer to serve.   The plan is to make sure we have enough medical personnel in the event of a major war - or a long drawn out minor war.

Same with nursing. I'd lose my house if I got drafted. I looked at pay scales thinking about the reserves. Now it's almost a guaranteed deployment.  Even with a hefty bump in grade there's a big paycheck hit. With overtime I can see General grade officer pay (if I work 6 days out of the 7).

[wingnut55]

in 1973 i worked with several Drs who had been drafted, they were very upset, but they were very cool and our unit modeled itself after mash. It may have to be, a repayment for medical school loans maybe?

[mikeylikey]

Same with nursing. I'd lose my house if I got drafted. I looked at pay scales thinking about the reserves. Now it's almost a guaranteed deployment.  Even with a hefty bump in grade there's a big paycheck hit. With overtime I can see General grade officer pay (if I work 6 days out of the 7).

That is why the American Health care industry is so expensive.  We are paying Doctors and Nurses too much.

I am strong believer that those that receive any Federal money for school should have to spend an equal amount of time they spent in school doing National Service of some type.

I think it may be time to draft health care workers......into rural areas, and lower income centers and  depressed areas of the country.  The military is just fine with the numbers they have know, of patriotic and selfless citizens, both military and civilian contractors!!! 

[PHall]

Careful there Mikey, you might get what you've wished for.

Of course seeing how "well loved" the NHS in the UK is, I don't think you'll be any happier.

[flyerthom]

Same with nursing. I'd lose my house if I got drafted. I looked at pay scales thinking about the reserves. Now it's almost a guaranteed deployment.  Even with a hefty bump in grade there's a big paycheck hit. With overtime I can see General grade officer pay (if I work 6 days out of the 7).

That is why the American Health care industry is so expensive.  We are paying Doctors and Nurses too much.

I am strong believer that those that receive any Federal money for school should have to spend an equal amount of time they spent in school doing National Service of some type.

I think it may be time to draft health care workers......into rural areas, and lower income centers and  depressed areas of the country.  The military is just fine with the numbers they have know, of patriotic and selfless citizens, both military and civilian contractors!!! 

If you want a real eye opener look at the mark ups hospitals charge. In Vegas three large for profit and one large non profit are over 300%. That's not showing up in salarys for nurses or ancillary staff. it's going to CEO's.  I didn't get Federal money for school, it was out of pocket. But I still spent over 20 years in volly  EMS (in PA) before moving to NV. The company I currently work for serves a very rural part of AZ and southern CA including Native American Reservations along the Grand Canyon and Colorado River all the way down to Yuma. So while I disagree on pay - considering the risk of exposure to diseases  and violence bedside clinicians face- I'm practicing what you're preaching. I'd be making a lot more in LA or NYC or if I was a LVMPD officer, but I can do more here. Grants should be repaid with service.