According to this story about Jones’ coaching style, near the end of a close game in Seattle, K.C. Jones called his team together in a tense time-out. If nothing else, Bird was confident—even brash. Before K.C. Jones could say anything, Bird took charge. Scowling at his teammates, he shouted, “Give me the ball and get the hell out of the way.”
K.C. Jones told Bird to shut up. “I’m the coach, Larry. I’ll call the play.”
“O.K., Coach.” Bird replied, chastened. “You’re right. You call the play.”
To which K.C. Jones said, glaring at his team, “Give Bird the ball and get the hell out of the way.”
As unassuming and soft-spoken as K.C. Jones appeared, he was a brilliant man. If he knew that his star felt he could sink a three-pointer at the buzzer, he did not feel constrained by a set play with a perplexing array of Xs and Os. He had faith in Bird’s shot and was willing to trust him.
The Boston Garden is a forgotten relic, and another era of Celtic triumph is only a dream at this point. I cannot worry about basketball but I can—and do—worry about the state of rheumatology as it reflects on the state of medicine in this country.
When doctors do not succeed, does society fault the doctors or does it fault itself for a cluttered and ponderous game plan that prevents the innovation necessary for success?
Too Much Coaching Spoils the Game
Are providers treated as champions? Does society have the faith in physicians and other healthcare professionals to just give us the ball? Or, does society think that it has to chart every move on a chalkboard to tell us exactly what to do, how to do it, and when to act?
When doctors do not succeed, does society fault the doctors or does it fault itself for a cluttered and ponderous game plan that prevents the innovation necessary for success—whether in the heat of a hard fought game or in the struggle to improve patient care?
In short, are we treated like Birds?
I have been in academics for almost 40 years and am sometimes incredulous at the volume of rules, regulations, and demands for documentation or disclosure that have proliferated to govern the practice of medicine and especially the conduct of research. Many of these regulations are welcome, necessary, and appropriate to correct abuses that existed in the past. It is absolutely essential that patients be informed of the risks and benefits of their treatments and participation in clinical trials. Confidentiality is also essential—although, as my hospital ethicist once told me, “Face it, confidentiality is impossible in a hospital.”
