Invited Commentary

Commentary on "House Calls: Physicians in the US Congress, 2005-2015"

Authors: Bennett Pafford, MD, MPH

Abstract

Goldenberg gives a broad overview of the physicians serving in Congress during the last decade, updating previous work from 2004 by Kraus and Suarez.1,2 He points out that physician numbers have increased significantly, although they remain a small proportion compared with the legal profession (and apologies to the lone podiatrist from Ohio who was left out). What is not addressed in the article is whether this increase boosts the effectiveness of Congress in crafting useful healthcare policy and legislation. Despite their reputation for resuscitation, the influx of doctors in Congress has not stemmed the hemorrhaging of public esteem, which now sits at a dismal 14% approval rating, less than half of its 2005 figure.3 Can adding more doctors prove curative?

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References

1. Goldenberg MN. House calls: physicians in the US Congress, 2005-2015. South Med J 2015;108:657-661.
 
2. Kraus CK, Suarez TA. Is there a doctor in the house? . . . Or the Senate? Physicians in US Congress, 1960-2004. JAMA 2004;292:2125-2129.
 
3. Congress and the public. 2015 Aug 5-9. http://www.gallup.com/poll/1600/congress-public.aspx. Accessed September 22, 2015.
 
4. GovTrak. https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114. Accessed September 22, 2015.
 
5. US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational outlook handbook. Physicians and surgeons. http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physicians-and-surgeons.htm. Accessed September 22, 2015.
 
6. Salaries of members of the United States Congress. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salaries_of_members_of_the_United_States_Congress. Accessed September 22, 2015.
 
7. AMPAC celebrates 50 years of physician political engagement. http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/news/news/ampac-celebrates-50-years.page. Published June 9, 2011. Accessed August 20, 2015.
 
8. Honesty/ethics in professions. www.gallup.com/poll/1654/Honesty-EthicsProfessions.aspx. Accessed September 22, 2015.
 
9. GOP Doctors Caucus Actions. http://doctorscaucus.roe.house.gov/caucus-actions/. Accessed September 22, 2015.