Posted by
Andrews on Wednesday, November 04, 2009 8:37:10 PM
My wife just read in her hospital news letter that $100,000 of stimulus money is being allocated to all Maryland hospitals, to monitor doctor and nurse hand washing. That's right, Obama's stimulus is paying 100 grand to have people stand in hospitals and watch doctors and nurses wash up. And they tell me without the stimulus the economy would be collapsing?
I know someone will argue that this is "essential" and "creating jobs", but I have a thought for those who endorse the stimulus. That money came from somewhere, whether it was through taxes, borrowing, or the hidden tax of inflation. If it weren't paying hygiene spies, it would be going somewhere else. My question is this: Can you imagine a use more frivolous than the one to which it is being put? Is it possible that, left in the private sector, the money would be put to a worse use?
Somehow I doubt too many people will be able to find a less sensible use for the money.
POSTSCRIPT
Have you noticed, for an administration which is decrying the "high cost" of medicine, the Obama administration is certainly allocating a lot of money for nonessential medical functions, such these hygiene monitors, the "cost effectiveness" panels, and a host of other high cost, low benefit activities.
And before anyone tells me about the massive importance of washing in preventing contagion, I would mention that since the late 80's, I can't think of a time a medical worker touched me without gloves. And, while it may be nice that they wash before gloving up, if gloves are a barrier to contagion, then they are in both directions, making me worry much less about whether or not a doctor forgot to wash once. Between all the worries over contracting something from patients and the threat of lawsuits, I really doubt there are many who do not wash, and that is likely what this study will find, but my point is, this will serve, at best, a very minor role in improving health care, making it little more than a waste of money.
In other words, like much of the stimulus, this is a way to give some "mad money" to favorite recipients, who can then spend it on silly projects that they could not otherwise justify, and then claim that somehow helped the economy, all while ignoring the fact that all this money had to come form somewhere. And while they ignore the massive cost to the economy, they still continue to claim this somehow benefits all of us.
Simply unbelievable.