Today’s New York Times has a fascinating look at how U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-MA, arrived at the decision to have surgery for a malignant brain tumor. Reading it, I was struck by the fact that, in many ways, Kennedy’s process was apparently much like that which is recommended to medical tourists and travelers. Initially, doctors and surgeons in Massachusetts suggested that the tumor, discovered May 20 after the senator suffered a seizure, was inoperable. Ultimately, Kennedy gathered opinions from leading experts from six or more medical institutions and chose to have surgery. He did not have it in Massachusetts, but rather flew to North Carolina for surgery at Duke University on June 2. According to The Times, “… whether the surgery was justified or not, that Mr. Kennedy had it at Duke embarrassed the Massachusetts General Hospital, a Harvard teaching institution.”

Further, from The Times:

“Several doctors not connected with Mr. Kennedy’s case said in interviews that they admired his resourcefulness in getting more opinions simultaneously. At the same time, these doctors said many average patients gained competent advice, without a command performance, by sending pertinent records to experts for their opinions.

“Many patients search the Internet for medical information and ask that their scans and other data be sent electronically or by overnight services.

“Then such patients visit, call or write the consultant.”

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Erik Steele, D.O., a physician in Bangor, Maine is chief medical officer of Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems and is on the staff of several hospital emergency rooms in the region. He has a terrific article in the Bangor Daily news, headlined, “Consider medical tourism a warning.” in which he discusses the recent news that Hannaford Bros., a supermarket chain with 27,000 employees, is offering a medical travel option as part of employee benefits. The story, initially reported out of Maine, was picked up by the Associated Press and made national news. (Link here.)

Says Dr. Steele:

“Rather than curse Hannaford for its self-interested decision, we would do well to see Hannaford as a corporate canary chirping frantically about the deteriorating conditions brought on by high health care costs in the coal mine of American business. Its action is a warning of things to come. If unheeded, it will not be Hannaford’s action that has brought about the ruin of some hospitals, but the failure of health care and other leaders in this country to listen to the canary.”

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