FRANKLY SPEAKING: Wondering about medical changes and radical statements

• I was recently speaking with a person in the medical profession and learned it is undergoing a number of changes. One of the major changes appears to be that many doctors are limiting their medical visits with patients to 20 minutes or less.

I assume the reason for this is they are under pressure from insurance companies to increase "production." Unfortunately, this practice will greatly affect the elderly population because many elders have more than one health issue when they visit a doctor and it takes time to explain their numerous concerns.

A new twist in the medical profession is something called concierge coverage, whereby a person pays a certain amount of money, over and above from their medical insurance, and they become entitled to spend more time with the doctor during a visit. I do not fully understand the details of this plan, but apparently only certain doctors are involved.

The bottom line of this little rant on my part is that the concept of the old-time family doctor is slowly fading away and is being replaced by a modern concept that may - or may not - be more beneficial to the general public. You might wish to discuss this with your own doctor – if you are allowed the time.

• Fashion designer Gucci was recently criticized for producing a black sweater that included a high black turtleneck covering the lower face. Next, I suppose wearing black at funerals will have a racist connotation. Perhaps we should begin wearing white at funerals as they do in Korea. I wonder who or what will be next with those who see racism in every nook and cranny of our society.

I also wonder if some of those people who are so reactionary fail to realize how much their actions will hurt their cause in the long run?

• Joe Biden has been touched by the "Me Too" gang. He was accused of allegedly kissing someone on the head, without permission, a number of years ago. Is it possible this might be the brain child of the Republican Party? As an Independent, I hope I won't be criticized by an ardent Republican.

• Too often, TV reporters probe and exploit victims of crime or accidents, all in the name of news. A recent example was the case of a murdered young woman who was taken to Delaware in the trunk of the killer's automobile. The news media immediately sought out the young woman's family for their reaction. To do this is unconscionable and, although such events need to be reported, the victim's family should be left to grieve and not sought out for a reaction.

• A medical report came out a while ago indicating that a daily aspirin might be deleterious to your health. I wonder about such claims because the medical theory that this is beneficial has been around for many years. This type of conjecture goes along with the off-and-on theory that daily coffee has a positive effect on health. I wonder why, if we can get to Mars, we can't figure out whether things like aspirin and coffee are good for us or bad for us?

Frank Mitchell is the former superintendent of schools in Lancaster.

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