Physician professionalism for a new century

Abstract

During the past 50 years, physicians have become increasingly dissatisfied with certain aspects of their profession. Dissatisfaction has intensified with the advent of managed care in the late 20th century, the medical liability crisis, and the growing divergence between the professional and personal expectations placed upon physicians and their practical ability to meet these expectations. These and other factors have encroached on physician autonomy, the formerly ascendant professional value within medicine. As the underlying values and practical realities of the broader American health care system have changed, the professional values and practices of physicians have failed to adapt correspondingly, resulting in a "professionalism gap" that contributes to physician dissatisfaction. To improve the outlook and efficacy of modern American physicians, the profession must adopt a new values framework that conforms to today's health care system. This means foregoing the 20th century's preferred "independent physician" model in favor of a new professional structure based on teamwork and collaboration. Convincing established physicians to embrace such a model will be difficult, but opportunities exist for significant progress among a new generation of physicians accustomed to the realities of managed care, flexible practice models, and health information technology. The teaching of clinical anatomy, given its incorporation of student collaboration at the earliest stages of medical education, offers a prime opportunity to introduce this generation to a reinvigorated code of professionalism that should reduce physician dissatisfaction and benefit society.

A change in paradigm: Giving back identity to donors in the anatomy laboratory

“…He uses the phase ''draped patient'' as a metaphor for the disappearance of the individual from medicine. Further, there is a prevailing sense in society that physicians have less concern about patients compared to insurance reimbursements, and that all physicians can deliver perfect medical outcomes even in the face of uncertainty (Holsinger and Beaton, 2006). This article has focused on a change in how firstyear medical students are learning about the body in its most basic sense.…”

Health information technology use and the decisions of altruistic physicians

“…Professionalism has been considered to be crucial to implementing desirable care outcomes [8,9,47]. Developing a quantifiable theory of judicious HIT use for consultation is certainly an important topic.…”

Healthcare Professionals’ Adoption of Clinical IT in Hospital: A View of Relationship between Healthcare Professionals and Hospital

“…Medical care practice is one of the oldest professions regarded as a relatively independent profession [12]. But Change is co ming to healthcare sector and it can't be ignored.…”