Even on our own campus, the clash between Democrat and Republican is all too apparent. One of the most controversial issues is that of healthcare reform, as the clash between universal healthcare and the continuation of our privatized system continues. Currently, hundreds of anesthesiologists from across the country are pouring money into a candidate from Eastern Maryland, who himself is an obstetric anesthesiologist at Hopkins Hospital, Andy Harris.
Harris is the Republican candidate for Maryland’s First Congressional District. He ran in 2008 for the same seat, beating the incumbent Republican in the primary election. In the general election, Harris narrowly lost to Democrat Frank Kratovil. Harris is also a graduate of Hopkins, receiving both his undergraduate and medical degrees from Hopkins.
The field of anesthesiology has been one of particular interest for healthcare reformers, especially because of the feud between nurse anesthetists and physicians. In many states, anesthesiologists are required to supervise the certified registered nurse anesthetists, and many physicians believe this to be an infringement on their business.
Nurse anesthetists, however, have been arguing for more autonomy in the workplace. They say that they can administer anesthesia at a lower cost without having to compromise safety, thus helping to control the high cost of anesthetic healthcare.
To counter this argument, physicians cite their years of additional training as a measure that would reduce the margin of error. Anesthesiologists believe that by having one of their own in Congress, the debate would more accurately represent their opinions.
Harris has received hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign funds, and records show that one in every five dollars has been contributed by physicians. He has campaigned across the country, mostly around the southeast in states such as Louisiana, Georgia and Tennessee. After speaking at a conference in San Antonio, Harris raised over $31,000 from Texan anesthesiologists alone.
His opponent, Kratovil, has also entered the fray of the medical feud between the nurse anesthetists and the anesthesiologists, taking the side of the nurses. His webpage, set up for the nurse anesthetists, has attracted the occasional donation, but has not been as lucrative as Harris’s campaign.
A few lobbyists in Washington do not believe that the nurse-physician feud is a direct indicator of the Kratovil-Harris contest, but most acknowledge that there is a significant correlation. Both candidates have received some amount of money from nurses, physicians, drug companies and other non-medical related entities.
Harris has received almost 10 times more money from health professionals alone than has Kratovil, while Kratovil leads the pack for money received from other medical interest groups, such as health maintenance organizations (HMOs). Nonetheless, Harris may be the first anesthesiologist in the House thanks to the lavish contributions from his fellow physicians.
