Re: US Politics Consolidation - Repost for Bob Brown, CPO

Re: US Politics Consolidation - Repost for Bob Brown, CPO

Subj: Re: US Politics Consolidation
Date: 1/19/99 11:39:09 AM Central Standard Time
From: BB 4 O N P
To: AlPikeCP

Charlie Pritham's response to Joe Carrideo is an excellent recap of the events
leading up to where we are today in the process of bringing our representative
and credentialing family together as one unified, organized and effective
entity in the ever changing: clinical, business, reimbursement, political
action and regulatory world of P&O.

Our profession has had many opportunities to look, listen and learn about
consolidation and there will be many more opportunities in the near ongoing
future. I wrote about the subject, in the summer of 1998, on the Academy's
Homepage in the President's Corner.

What we must caution ourselves about is making hasty, judgmental decisions
based upon the reintroduction of negative outcomes from the past. The times
we live in and work in today are drastically more complicated than just 3
years ago.

The grip you have upon the control of your own clinical, professional and
business destiny is being loosened by government regulation and insurance
reform. The stakes are higher and our numbers are too fragmented to
effectively respond or to affect change or even to hold on to what we deem
sacred ground.

There is an old saying If it ain't broke - don't fix it. Well, who will
take responsibility when it is broke, if not your elected leaders? Who should
look, listen and learn all the facts about our current situation, and what
your leaders recommend we do about it, before you make the most important
decision of your professional life? What should your leadership do with the
knowledge we gather from well respected sources on the subject of
consolidation? How would you react if your leaders were afraid to bring this
information, to your attention, simply because It was tried before and
failed? What if the result of such negligence resulted in the collapse of
your clinical position or business? Would those who are so sure consolidation
is the wrong way to go be as vocal in that event?

You are all the ultimate decision makers. Your elected and appointed leaders,
along with help from our highly competent and reliable staff, will do
everything in our power to get every bit of information you need to make the
most informed decision possible.

If I can add anything further, than what Charlie has said or than what I have
written above, I will do so from time to time. I pray you all will continue
to share your thoughts, ideas and concerns with me as this process moves
forward. I look forward to the future of O&P with confidence that each of you
will make a wise decision based upon examination of all the facts through,
what I believe you will all agree, is an open process of two way
communication.

Finally, to those ABC practitioners who don't own a business and are currently
not members of the Academy. Your future will likely be decided by those who
have the power (the VOTE). If you believe you are capable of understanding
all the facts (as I believe you are) and that you should have a say in your
future (as I believe you should) you need to join the Academy before this
issue comes to a vote.

Thank you,

Bob

PS.
Al, you are more than welcome to share these comments, I am having trouble
with some of my Email addresses anyway.