The GP Surgical Assistant

The family doctor general practitioner as a surgical assistant. This is a bad and expensive idea. The situation usually develops when the patient is seen by the GP for a problem that requires surgery; for instance, a 60 year old lady with gallstones and severe pain after meals. An ultrsound study of the gallbladder shows numerous small stones. Her gallbladder tries to contract after meals and a stone obstructs the gallbladder outlet and causes pain. Removal of the gallbladder cures the problem and prevents serious complications like obstruction of the bile ducts.
The GP refers the patient to a general surgeon for gallbladder removal with the agreement that the GP will perform as surgical assistant. He is not required, a nurse can perform as well or better but the GP plans to bill a fee equal to 1/4 the amount the surgeon charges. Further, the GP plans to stay in the operating room the shortest posssible time so he can get back to his office.
Some GP's are good surgical assistants, some are poor; no matter, they aren't needed. This is simply a money maker.
If your GP tells you he needs to help with the operation so he can perform better post-opertive care in years to come, tell him to read the operative note and the pathology report. He simply doesn't need to be scrubbed in at the operation.