Health care system eats away at the doctor-patient relationship

Health care system eats away at the doctor-patient relationship 
The Boston Globe; updated 4/17/24
... The system economically rewards throughput (the number of patients seen per unit time) and procedures rather than the time needed to develop an open and communicative doctor-patient relationship. While a good physician might understand the tests and evaluations that are indicated by a presenting medical problem, the excellent clinician knows which tests and evaluations should not be done. This is primarily ascertained by delving into details of the patient’s physical, psychological, social, family, and economic history. This process, as James highlights, can lead to collaborative and more effective care. ...
Editor's Note: This article highlights "Dr. Thea James’s remarkable work at Boston Medical Center in addressing structural inequity in medical care as a means of enhancing outcomes brings up an underlying structural problem across the entire medical care system (“Her health equity message being heard,” April 13, 2024.)