Driving Competence
In a recent survey by medical economics, the question was asked if doctors should be responsible for judging the patient’s fitness to drive.
The survey results are listed below.
As you can see, two thirds of the physicians responding did not feel it was their place to make this final judgment.
This discussion causes a lot of emotions with older patients. They realize they are declining and driving is sometimes their last independent activity they do. It can be very distressing and cause a lot of family conflict. Physicians are often left to be the “bad guys” and tell the patient.
There are drivers of all ages not competent to drive, but there is really no standard on who should make this ultimate determination.
Are there thoughts from readers?
The survey results are listed below.
As you can see, two thirds of the physicians responding did not feel it was their place to make this final judgment.
This discussion causes a lot of emotions with older patients. They realize they are declining and driving is sometimes their last independent activity they do. It can be very distressing and cause a lot of family conflict. Physicians are often left to be the “bad guys” and tell the patient.
There are drivers of all ages not competent to drive, but there is really no standard on who should make this ultimate determination.
Are there thoughts from readers?
Labels: competence, driving
posted by Anonymous at 6:00 AM
24 Comments:
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OBVIOUSLY ANONYMOUS 072607 075900AM....YOU SHOULD NOT BE DRIVING A CAR....ANYONE COULD MAKE THAT DECISION.
For better or worse, HB has discontinued writing on Floyd hospital issues. It's his blog and his rules. You have made your point, so please move on. If for no other reason than the sanity of the rest of us.
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From the Indiana Business Research Center at IU:
The population growth among the elderly is perhaps even more impressive than the change in share. The number of people age sixty-five or older will virtually double from about 753,000 in 2000 to 1.5 million in 2040 (see Table 1). A marginal increase of 8,000 is expected statewide in the initial 2000 to 2005 projection interval, but the increase from 2010 to 2015 will jump to 108,000. Between 2020 and 2025, the state can expect to add another 162,000 senior citizens.
Given the declining driving skills mentioned and a doubling of our elderly population on the horizon, wouldn't now be a good time to look at much better mass transit?
It would seem prudent to do it while these people are still working and therefore helping contribute the tax dollars needed for such projects. The same study predicts an actual reduction in the Hoosier labor force as Boomers age out of professional life.
If we wait, non-auto transportation needs will significantly increase while the number of people sharing the burden of meeting those needs is simultaneously decreasing.
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I see no reason for physicians to be responsible for this. The state licensing agencies should make the final determination.
Ummm, that comment was about this post. Is that your rule or isn't it?
We rely heavily on family statements and opinions because it is very difficult to make this type of assessment in a short office visit.
In reality though, it is phyisicians who many times make this determination and infomr patients they can no longer drive.
I would agree with bluegill that proactive planning for alternative forms of transportation for our aging population is a good idea.
Half of the comment was about the topic and the other half was an ongoing hospital issue.
That topic is ended no matter how you try to slide it in.
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Rather than continuing to delete comments from this same individual, I have turned on comment moderation for now.
Comments may be delayed a little but it will save space and make reading comments from legitimate posters easier.
Obviously we need to have testing, on paper and the road, from time to time on driving ablility. Instead of waiting till a person turns a certain age, let's have mandatory driving tests every 5 years or so. We could also have these tests when someone has a severe change in their medical status. This would be fair and objective and take it out of the hands of the physician to judge on competency. While we are at it let's raise the starting age for driving to 18 and reduce the gas that is wasted and pollution that is produced by that age group. Not to mention the lives, theirs and innocent others, saved by allowing that group to mature mentally 2 more years.
HB,
You might want to consider requiring blogger registration. It works automatically--no registration, no post.
It does not solve all the problems with certain anonymous posters but many of them will not take the few minutes to register. It still maintains anonymity and has the additional benefit of making it easy to follow multiple posts by one person, instead of trying to figure out if Anon 1:12 is the same person as Anon 2:05.
Just a thought.
Actually, only some of those were from me. I don't know who the other fella is.
I don't think the doctors should make that call about driving but if they feel that the person is unsafe to drive. They should contact the MVB and let them make the final call.Let them be the bad guy.
Cut it any way you like; anonymity remains a cowardly exercise.
The 10:34 p.m. comment is not about this post. Doc, is that your rule or isn't it?
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