Dr. Gus Krucke’s knowledge of medicine and commitment to his patients is awe-inspiring. As importantly, he is one of the most decent, caring and compassionate human beings that I know. Gus touches the lives and hearts of the patients he treats in ways that are both profound and rare. Dr. Krucke discusses the practice of medicine and the treatment of patients dealing with HIV/AIDS. Dr. Krucke also reads a letter that he had written to a patient after the patient died that he uses to teach medical students about end of life issues and patient care.
Dr. Gus Krucke in his office at the Thomas Street Clinic
Dr. Gus Krucke’s Treatment Room at the Thomas Street Clinic where he performs procedures often saving patients a trip to the ER
Dr. Gus Krucke prepping for a procedure in his Treatment Room at the Thomas Street Clinic
Dr. Gus Krucke
The Thomas Street Clinic in Houston, Texas
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“Body, Mind & Soul” My A & U Article on Dr. Gus Krucke
Day One (Download the MP3)
Dear Gus,
I watched and listened for a bit on the arrival of your e-mail with attached interview, without Jim here. Today, we dedicated the required 1 1/2 hours to listen to it all. It certainly sounded like the Gus Krucke we have known all these years, and we congratulate you on your successes and dealings with your inevitible patient losses.
It was a real priviledge to care for you as you grew up, and to know you as a friend of us and our kids. I trust you felt that I took care of you well, and hope I did not PREVENT your ‘coming out’ to me, tho we did dance around the issue at times. Your marvelous success as an MD has been fun to watch and track.
Don’t forget the ‘outrageous’ profits bankers, investors, sports figures, etc as well as physicians, make. Also think (as I’m sure you have) about the tremendous resources consumed in testing, treating, and maintaining your HIV-AIDS patients as well as us old people in the last few years of our lives, or preemies in the first months/years of their lives (think the 8 implanted babies by the woman who ‘gets no public support’–somehow forgetting the food stamps and special needs funds she gets monthly!) How do we ethically decide who gets what and who pays for it? And when is enough enough? There is certainly NO easy answer, but we do have to somehow tackle it. All of us have the ‘Burger King syndrome’–I want it my way right away–to some degree or another. You are absoulutely right about the huge amount of resources spent on paper work. Not ONE time did my office ever submit a Medicare or Medicaide form that did not bounce back for some reason, usually being accepted when resubmitted without any changes, but more office staff time and paper used, or computer time as it was all done on line the last few years. Sigh. As much as everyone needs some coverage, it is sobering to think of bureaucrats taking over our care!! Talk about sucking up resources! It is rather like talking about a flat tax for 100% of people, which in the long run would probably be more fair and bring in more money, but would put a whole industry of tax lawyers and accountants out of work. There is no easy answer for sure. Keep working on it.
Love,
Dr. Nell