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To the Editor: In his A Piece of My Mind article¹ about "the system of no-system," Dr Ferrer describes his experiences in caring for uninsured patients.

I have read these sorts of articles by different authors at different times and over many years. They all start off with graphic and horrendous clinical cases, tell of the "bad" private physicians who abandoned their poor patients on the doorstep of the overworked emergency department physician, and discuss the totally chaotic system ("no system") that makes sure the patients do not receive adequate treatment. We readers then feel guilty, question our commitment to our professional oath, and vow to work harder to make things right. Since most every physician I know has, at one time or another, been in Ferrer's overwhelmed shoes, we all sympathize.

Unfortunately, none of this really makes for any change. Also, it seems to make no difference regardless of . . . [Full Text of this Article]

RELATED ARTICLE

Within the System of No-System
Robert L. Ferrer
JAMA. 2001;286(20):2513-2514.
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