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The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the crisis of over-regulation in American medicine. These regulations inhibit the development of effective treatments for a variety of conditions without providing additional protection against harmful or ineffective treatments and inadequate care.
In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis had to personally intervene to provide a special dispensation from onerous telemedicine rules to allow physicians to treat patients during the quarantine.
This tidal wave of regulations comes not only from state and federal governments; a vast array of accreditation and certification bodies supplement government regulations with byzantine rules and guidelines. Physicians involved in direct patient care for the majority of their time are aware of the problems with these organizations. The maintenance of certification process and the accreditation of medical facilities such as surgery centers and clinics are examples of how these organizations directly profit by adding complexity and expense without improving public health or safety.
Let’s examine some potential benefits from deregulation. In Florida, many older patients have difficulty getting to medical appointments due to transportation. This often means interruptions in continuity of care or the inability to get timely treatment for new conditions. Telemedicine can provide a viable alternative by allowing physicians to make virtual house calls. Patients can get the medical care they need from physicians who know them well and understand their conditions.
Relaxation of telemedicine regulations during this pandemic has proven physicians can provide virtual house calls safely and efficiently. But, if the governor later reimposes the regulatory regimen, all of this will become impossible again.
Governor DeSantis has made deregulation a priority of his administration. Since taking office, he’s been steadfast in trying to find ways to reduce harmful or counterproductive regulations. We appreciate his timely actions regarding telemedicine. This is the best opportunity in years to roll back the crushing amount of regulation or, alternatively, to develop new structures that are not burdened by oppressive regulation. These regulations are killing us, sometimes literally.
