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The word limit for letters selected from posted responses remains 300 words.
One of the most interesting uses of the Internet is as a forum for
public debate about healthcare (1).
The BMJ rapid response page is a good example of this approach. It is
open to anyone and responses are linked to authoritative and peer reviewed
articles. As a result, it provides an opportunity for informed and free
debate which has few, if any, precedents.
Primary Care Groups will need to make difficult decisions about the
allocation of limited resources to primary care development, commissioning
of services and health improvement. An ageing population and increasing
treatment costs have led, for the first time, to explicit rationing of
drugs such as the Zanamivir for flu and sildefanil (Viagra).
Rationing could widen further the gulf between those who use the
service and those who provide it. In order to prevent that happening there
needs to be inclusive debate in which the community as a whole decides on
the values which it expects to govern the delivery of healthcare (2).
Yours sincerely,
Dr John Hopkins
(1) Hopkins J Could the Internet become a forum for public debate on
healthcare quality and funding? Br Journal of Healthcare Comput Info
Manage 2000; 17(4): 29-30
(2) Smith R Stumbling into rationing. BMJ 1999; 319:936
Competing interest: Writer of a health news web site.
The Internet as a forum for public debate about healthcare
Dear Dr Smith,
One of the most interesting uses of the Internet is as a forum for
public debate about healthcare (1).
The BMJ rapid response page is a good example of this approach. It is
open to anyone and responses are linked to authoritative and peer reviewed
articles. As a result, it provides an opportunity for informed and free
debate which has few, if any, precedents.
Primary Care Groups will need to make difficult decisions about the
allocation of limited resources to primary care development, commissioning
of services and health improvement. An ageing population and increasing
treatment costs have led, for the first time, to explicit rationing of
drugs such as the Zanamivir for flu and sildefanil (Viagra).
Rationing could widen further the gulf between those who use the
service and those who provide it. In order to prevent that happening there
needs to be inclusive debate in which the community as a whole decides on
the values which it expects to govern the delivery of healthcare (2).
Yours sincerely,
Dr John Hopkins
(1) Hopkins J Could the Internet become a forum for public debate on
healthcare quality and funding? Br Journal of Healthcare Comput Info
Manage 2000; 17(4): 29-30
(2) Smith R Stumbling into rationing. BMJ 1999; 319:936
Competing interest: Writer of a health news web site.
Competing interests: No competing interests