Hacks and Quacks

Dr. Zero*

Here's a taste of what we can expect from the leftist medical hacks who will shape and control Obama's brave new health care world:

This is wrong on many levels. These physicians are a disgrace to their profession.

MacIver News Service provides this report:

As tens of thousands of public employees skipped work this week to attend protest rallies outside the Wisconsin State Capitol, many wondered if they would face any disciplinary action for unexcused absences.

On Saturday, a group of men and women in lab coats purporting to be doctors were handing out medical excuse notes, without examining the ‘patients.’

“I asked this doctor what he was doing and he told me they were handing out excuses to people who were feeling sick due to emotional, mental or financial distress,” said Christian Hartsock. “They never performed an exam–he asked me how I was feeling today and I said I’m from California and I’m not used to the cold, so he handed me a note.”

Another woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said they were handing out excuses like they were leaflets...

Based on an examination of the signature and medical license number provided, one of the men handing out these notes was purporting to be James H Shropshire MD, a Clinical Associate Professor at the University Wisconsin Madison.

The gap-toothed quack in the video surely looks like this James Shropshire to me:

Office phone: (608) 222-8779

Email: james.shropshire@uwmf.wisc.edu

Here are some off-the-record reactions from physicians who think integrity matters...

"If they are real MD/DOs, they should lose their license. If they are medical students, they should be expelled. If they are impersonating doctors, they should be charged with practicing without a license."

"I hope someone goes after these 'doctors'. Whether you agree with the teachers or not, this is giving all doctors a bad name..."

"I actually think we should show integrity no matter what. I would not condone faking [a note] for any reason. On a personal opinion note.... I say to hell with the stupid pension system. I am a burdened taxpayer."

"I think the Obamamessiah shot himself in the foot coming out so strongly for the unions. It may keep his unions pals happy, but I don't think independents will be very impressed with the [lawlessness] and deceit that the dems have shown in this situation."

"If true, it would not surprise me as [Shropshire] is a university doc. An interesting poll would be the political mindset split between university and private practice and smaller group physicians."

*Addendum:

James Shropshire's bio:

Dr. Shropshire is an Associate Clinical Professor in the UW Department of Family Medicine, and has been practicing at the UW Health-Monona clinic for over 15 years. He grew up in Monona, went to undergrad at Hamline University in St. Paul, MN, Medical School here at the UW, and then returned to St. Paul for Residency with the University of Minnesota. He practices a full range of family medicine, including hospital work, obstetrics, office surgeries and family-centered primary care with special interest in Sports Medicine and prevention. He is fluent in Spanish and coordinates an international health rotation in Belize. Dr. Shropshire also teaches medical students, acting as director of one semester of the Patient Doctor and Society (PDS) Course. He also works closely with medical students as a mentor in the Academic and Careers Advising Program (ACAP) in the Medical School. He loves music, playing guitar and saxophone in a local band, Leeding Zeros, and has a wife and two children that also keep him very busy outside the practice.

[Emphasis added]

Commentary from everyone's favorite conservative legal beagle, Instapundit:

If the doctor involved is actually signing these, he should be brought before the medical licensing board. I would imagine that criminal prosecution is possible, too. And if his name is being forged, then somebody else is a criminal. Either way, if teachers turn in excuses signed by Dr. Shropshire, further inquiry is merited . . .

I think we're looking at a very small "if" in this case.

Memeorandum thread

X-posted

Update:

Commentary from the Happy Hospitalist...

Now I hear doctors are writing fake medical excuse notes to give rally protesters protection from employers (such as the government supported with tax dollars) who don't find it acceptable for their employees to go spend valuable company/government time protesting their political views. What a flagrant abuse of power by doctors who hide behind their cloak of doctor-patient confidentiality in the name of political motivation...

To make matters even worse, what we have here is theft of state taxpayers' money. Every protester who doesn't show up for work but brings back a sick note is stealing money from the government. In fact, the 14 Democrats who left state lines on the clock could even be considered felons for stealing their salaries and crossing state lines.

(h/t Pundit Press)

Update II:

Another Wisconsin quack, Patrick McKenna, D.O. (video here, picture here, bio here)

Update II:

Introducing yet another Wisconsin quack, Kathy Oriel, M.D. (video, bio) h/t: the Right Sphere

Update III:

Another inductee into the fake doctor's note hall of shame: Hannah Keevil, M.D. (note, bio). Dr. Hannah Keevil is a radical left-wing PNHP physician (Physicians for a National Health Program).

I'd like to paraphrase the lefties at PNHP who scolded Congressman Andy Harris for making a smart rhetorical point about federally-funded health care coverage...

Our medical school admissions committees need to set the bar higher. All applicants accepted should meet the standard of possessing common decency. Too bad James Shropshire, Patrick McKenna, Kathy Oriel, and Hannah Keevil snuck through.

Rhetorical exit question... Do these dishonest doctors have medical malpractice insurance that covers "street medicine"?

Update IV:

Hall of Shame