Industrialization of Medicine and Medical Professionalism: Bioethical Critiques

Health care delivery system has changed into large multi-specialty groups or for-profit organizations primarily operated by financially oriented professional manager. Traditionally, physician had a direct personal relationship with patient, a relationship governed, mediated, and protected by the principle of trust. This relationship has been transformed into physician-patient-government-third party payer relationship since industrialization of medicine took place. Physicians also have changed their practice pattern from primary care to more financially oriented specialized practice in which frequently utilizes high costly latest medical technologies. These erosive for-profit tendencies within the medical profession have weakened trust relationship between physician and patient. The virtues and character of trust and justice of the physician and coordinated efforts among physicians, patients and society as a whole can strengthen the traditional trust relationship and can fulfill medical professionalism in the industrialized medical society.