How Doctors Have Changed Over Time

Over the course of time, I believe doctors have changed to a linear way of practice. In other words, they decided on a diagnose, prescribe medications then move on to next person. The patient interaction is minimal, not enough to make a change in a person’s health. In the past, hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities did not exist. Physicians visited their patients’ homes and from the bedside delivered their understanding of the patient’s condition. Just as Dr. Abraham Verghese described in his speech, many of today’s doctors do rotations from sitting around a table looking at a computer. There is no way to understand a patient by looking at their medical records from a computer or a television screen. In the movie, Making Rotations, it is emphasized that being at the bedside is the best way to truly examine and look inside a patient’s soul to understand, to connect, and treat them appropriately. I couldn’t agree more with that approach. Physicians have lost that social touch and attentiveness which I believe is
Verghese described perfectly forgetting the ritual and losing the way due to the explosion of information. Technology is another key factor in the shift of the doctor-patient relationship. However, with the advancement of technology, it has sparked the good, the bad, and the ugly in medicine. With increasing technology, Dr. Richard Friedenberg felt medicine was moving from an individual practice to a business, which I agree with. Technology is changing the way physicians diagnose, treat patients, and learn. Money is another factor that contributes to today’s doctors change. Thanks to the healthcare system, medicine has become a business where maximizing profits is the main goal. However, I do agree that medical personals should get paid for their talent and skills in treating a patient, I don’t think it should be the main goal. Patient satisfaction should