Medicine is no longer this simple. Medicine has continued to advance and has grown into an expansive scientific discipline. There is no longer just one doctor. A visit to the hospital could involve many specialists.
Is the physician-patient relationship as sacred today as it was 50 years ago? The answer is complicated. I searched the intenet (always a good place to start) and found very few patients extolling the modern physician-patient relationship. Medical education never stops emphasizing the importance of the patient trust. A quick visit to a clinic will remind one of confidentiality and its extensive legal protection. Despite all this effort very little seems to be said from the patient's perspective.
However, the future is bright. As long as the physicians of tomorrow continue to genuinely care for their patients and to put the interests of others before their own, medicine will be admired.
My article discussed the importance of trust and confidentiality in the physician-patient relationship as well. While working in a rural setting often brings up many conflicts, we have to remember that we are there to serve the patient, above all else. I know from personal experience that I haven't been nearly as forthcoming when I was dealing with a physician who I did not trust or appeared to be judgemental.
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