dr. cortese, that is the third in a series of months they have gotten. had the best measure precision outcomes for end of life care? >> the best measure for that is to ask the family how they feel things went at the end of life. this is a very difficult time for everyone. some of our results show that we are pretty efficient in in a block here. all i can say is, we do not do anything -- we are efficient with the end of life care. what we do is just get to know the family. our physicians understand a problem and get to know the patient. we do what seems to make sense for them, because our core value truly is, the needs of the patient come first. what ends up happening is we in of having those people in the hospital fewer days in their final two years of live, in the icy youth year days, fewer procedures and surgery. -- in the icu. we in up with a lower cost scenario. however, you have to ask the family if they were satisfied. did they really get what they wanted? i would say in time, the most important measure for everyone to have is going to be the servi

dr. cortese.i'm a private physician in private practice and i have a huge problem with every single thing you have just said. you are sounding like a company man that is making megamillions as a c.e.o. and you have nothing to do with physicians. the backbone of american medicine that sets us apart from the rest of the world is the culture of private practice where the individual physicians are responsible for their -- they stand up to the lawyers, they stand up to the auditors, they stand up to the regulators. they stand up to the patients. the rules are based on their quality of work. none of your physicians about the referrals or lawsuits or anything. and i mean for you to stand up there and say that our quality is the best, you are like a modified canadian system or u.k. system. host: what kind of medicine do you practice, doctor? >> i'm and the and these yogide. -- and these ideologist. most people in private practice have to work their tails off and commit their lives to the professional medi

dr. cortese.e to thank national press club staff members melinda cooke, pat nelson, joanne booze and howard rothman for organizing today's lunch. also thanks to the national press club library for its research. the video archive of today's luncheon is provided by the national press club broadcast operations center. our events are available for free download on itunes as well as on our website. nonmembers may purchase transcripts, audio and video tapes by calling (202)662-7598, or e-mailing us at archives at press club.org. for more information about the national press club, please visit our website at www.press did or did. and i can do very much. we are adjourned. [applause] . . >> on behalf of the committee please pass along our appreciation to the great soldiers and marines under your commands throughout the world and to their families. to their dedication and sacrifice. as he enters into a second term, admiral mullen will focus on an array of challenges. while the security situation in afghanis