Is Dr. X a good doctor?Being a doctor, I often hear this question being asked. More often than not, the response that I hear is a rather clear cut one, "oh yes, Dr. X is a great doctor," or "oh no, Dr. X is not a good doctor," making me wonder what such a definite response is based upon. Is it based on actual facts? Is it based on ...
Richard A. Foullon, MD
The professional status of physicians is at risk
According to Wikipedia, up to the beginning of the 19th century there had been only 3 occupations that were considered to be professions, Divinity, Medicine and Law.A profession is considered a trade or occupation that transforms itself through "the development of formal qualifications based upon education, apprenticeship, and examinations, the emergence of regulatory bodies with powers to admit, discipline members, and enforce adherence to an ethical code of practice."Professionals are ...
Reasons behind the image mutation of physicians
As far back in history as in the day of Hippocrates of Cos, often referred to as the father of Western medicine, 460 BC - 370 BC, a physician was viewed in a paternalistic manner, one in which a physician's opinion(s) were simply just believed and their recommendation(s) were followed without question. The prevailing culture was definitely one of passive, submissive acceptance.Although there will more likely than not always be ...
A moral obligation to help patients decipher online health information
I believe that the most important reason for healthcare professionals to engage in social media is to take advantage of its tremendous inherent ability to help facilitate in providing all patients with trusted, accurate, meaningful and useable healthcare information.Most healthcare practice consultants and social media experts more often than not highlight the beneficial effects that the use of social media can have on the marketing efforts of healthcare practices, ...
