Lloyd Flatt's Blog: Mars Hospital: A Doctor's Novel
October 7, 2023
Why I wrote this novel
This novel is a satire. It is meant to be funny. It is meant to shock and offend. It is meant to entertain.
But, using satire as the vehicle, this novel talks about very real problems in healthcare-and society.
The novel touches on a host of topics. These are just a few you might not have heard of before.
Did you know:
Doctors these days are usually employees and subject to the whims of administrators who are their bosses and overlords. This novel shows the impact of this new reality.
Doctors who are employees are paid, in part, based on "customer satisfaction" metrics. This novel shows the terrible things these metrics lead to and shows-clearly-how this fed into the opioid crisis we face today.
Administrators waste tons of healthcare dollars on silly consulting programs. Get ready to sing the "Get Crabby!" theme song and clap your hands to "Firecracker!"
"Not for profit" hospitals are all about profit. They abuse the tax free status they enjoy and vigorously collect bills-often criminally fraudulent bills-against the poorest and most uneducated members of society.
And related to this, debtors prisons are alive and well in the U.S. today. Yes, debtors prisons.
These are just a few of the serious healthcare problems outlined in my satire.
But, using satire as the vehicle, this novel talks about very real problems in healthcare-and society.
The novel touches on a host of topics. These are just a few you might not have heard of before.
Did you know:
Doctors these days are usually employees and subject to the whims of administrators who are their bosses and overlords. This novel shows the impact of this new reality.
Doctors who are employees are paid, in part, based on "customer satisfaction" metrics. This novel shows the terrible things these metrics lead to and shows-clearly-how this fed into the opioid crisis we face today.
Administrators waste tons of healthcare dollars on silly consulting programs. Get ready to sing the "Get Crabby!" theme song and clap your hands to "Firecracker!"
"Not for profit" hospitals are all about profit. They abuse the tax free status they enjoy and vigorously collect bills-often criminally fraudulent bills-against the poorest and most uneducated members of society.
And related to this, debtors prisons are alive and well in the U.S. today. Yes, debtors prisons.
These are just a few of the serious healthcare problems outlined in my satire.
