83% of practicing US physicians are not represented
The Problem
Medicine is facing a crisis. Nearly half of all doctors are burned out. Suicide rates for physicians are the highest of any profession. Bureaucratic tasks have replaced patient care. Work hours are oppressive. The electronic chart (EHR), which was supposed to usher in a modern era, has instead become a source of frustration and rage. Administrators have decided how to measure clinical success (revenue value units), and designed a system that promotes profit over effective patient care. And our largest organization, the AMA, represents only 17% of practicing US physicians. That means 83% of us have no voice.
We Need Something Different
We need an organization that represents the values of physicians in 2019. One that has nothing to do with the business of medicine, and everything to do with putting high-quality patient care first. This means building a happy, healthy, well-rested physician workforce, who are intellectually curious and emotionally present. This means giving doctors back the single most precious resource in clinical medicine: time. This means creating a culture where physicians are supported in healing themselves, so that they can continue the difficult and rewarding work of healing others. The goal of Osler's Alliance is unite doctors in large numbers, and TAKE MEDICINE BACK.
Our Work
Our vision is for a world where doctors have sufficient time and cognitive/emotional bandwidth to explore their patients’ lives and needs, and build strong, joyful, trusting relationships with them. To bring this vision to life, we must give doctors back the autonomy to decide how much time is necessary for each type of patient encounter, and that time is protected as sacred. Our efforts must reflect the values of our members. In addition to our priority to restore the doctor-patient relationship, we also take positions and support those doing great work on your top concerns.
01.
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THE OVU PROJECT
We propose a direct challenge the current system of billing for medical care, the Relative Value Unit (RVU). The RVU is an outdated system that values procedures over cognitive medicine. It’s one that allows administrators to push for production and efficiency over quality patient care and long term outcomes. Worst of all, it robs us of our humanity.
Help us create a better world. One that puts checks and balances on the industrial medical machine. One that redirects the system to restore and protect the doctor-patient relationship. Help us define & create the Osler Value Unit with our most important effort, “The OVU Project”.
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CLIMATE CHANGE
We support the leading efforts of the Center for Climate Change & Health. Climate change is already affecting the health of our patients.
People with asthma or COPD are at higher risk from increased ozone levels and wildfire smoke. Those with cardiovascular disease or diabetes are at increased risk from extreme heat. Neighborhoods with a lot of pavement and few parks and trees experience “urban heat island” effects and associated heat-related illness. People living in poverty are less able to cope with rising food prices or buy home insurance to help deal with extreme weather events, such as storms or flooding.
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GUN VIOLENCE
We support Doctors for America (DFA) in their passionate work and their strong position on gun violence.
We agree with DFA that, “gun violence is an urgent public health problem that requires a multi-faceted public health solution.”
With DFA, we support gun violence research, universal background checks, screening for gun ownership --particularly in homes with children, evidence-based policies limiting gun possession by high-risk individuals, and increased attention and support for secondary victims of gun violence.