Suchergebnisse

The ethical problems of the Med profession stem from the extraordinarily high value placed on life, wellbeing, & freedom from pain in our culture; from the necessarily intimate relation of MD & patient; from the strains of private practice, a small entrepreneur role, in a society of big gov, big business, big labor, & big cities; & from contradictory soc values in matters of religion, sex, & right of privacy in the individual's own body; from failures of medicine & the limits of sci; & from the conflict over change in the org of Med service. The profession has fought its battles with notable success on most fronts, but without a fully satisfactory answer to the tough problem of maintaining quality. Med society discipline & malpractice suits have not provided effective enforcement. Isolated individual practice is diminishing. Group practice, certification of advanced training, widened hosp-staff membership, & improved hos certification provide new disci- ; plines to enforce quality. The language of medicine's codes &,of the politico-econ debate have contributed to a public image of guild restrictionism & self-protection. Though impossible to measure, change appears to have been, in fact, to marked improvement in quality & protection of the patient against negligent, incompetent, or exploitative Med service. The introduction of compulsory sickness insurance & soc'ized medicine raises the new ehical issue of the MD's strike. HA.