Surgery

Bravissimo, surgeons and nurses! You are the antithesis of rock stars, politicians, talk show hosts and the other nincompoops in the public eye.

Prostate Surgery on 24 Mentally Ill
Is Investigated

FROM SUNDAY'S TIMES
New York state officials charged that
doctors at the Leben Home for Adults in
Elmhurst, Queens, used "assembly-line
techniques to mass-produce" prostate
operations for 24 mentally ill men that
generated tens of thousands of dollars in
Medicaid and Medicare fees.

I once spent two months in a hospital, enduring twelve hours of surgery. The surgery was actually enjoyable. The doctors and nurses and I talked throughout, joked, even learned about each other in ways we'd otherwise not.

There were eight of us in the operatory, from seven different countries, speaking a total of ten languages.

It was gratifying to see people committed to doing their jobs well, rather than accept mediocrity.