Medical professionals are on a learning curve as the coronavirus is highly contagious and has no treatment. Six months into this battle, money is being poured into treatment, offering hope for those who are seriously ill.

Unfortunately, as in the past, physicians are seeing their decision-making usurped by business.

At some hospitals, the quality of patient care is of the utmost importance. At others, treatment for ill patients is limited by administrative salaries, bonuses and retirement packages.

Presently, convalescent plasma, remdesivir and IL-6 seem to improve patient status positively, and the government pays for experimental use. Apparently, if hospitals don’t use these treatments, they still get paid. Not using them puts money into the hospital’s pocket.

Therefore, some hospital administrators are dissuading doctors from applying for these treatments and putting up red-tape barriers. As well, consistent with past behavior, they hastily place older patients on hospice, eliminating all treatment even though they have been paid.

Finding out which hospital you can trust is not an easy task. Asking contracted hospital doctors might not be a reliable source, though examining mortality or hospice transfer statistics might help with your decision making.

It’s your turn to be on the learning curve.

Gene Uzawa Dorio, M.D., is a geriatric house-call physician who serves as president of the Los Angeles County Commission for Older Adults and Assemblyman to the California Senior Legislature. He has practiced in the Santa Clarita Valley for 32 years.