The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-10-05
Group Medicine
~ ~. AnDiNGroN BRUCE
Author Of "'rhe Riddle OF Person
biitv "fttrhoiogy aud
par~ntt God" etc.

We are hearing much nowadays
about group medicine. and many
people are puzzled as 90 The mean
ing of the term They assume that
b. involves some radical departure
IN medical practice
ln this assumption they are only
partly right Group medicine is al.
ready beIne prscticeG 90 some oX
tent
20 is n direct product Of that spe-
CialiyHi1n which has become in.
efitable thru the rapid enlargement
~ medical knowledge Physicians
necessarily tend more and more 90
select SOME disease or type " dis
eases. as special subjects OF study
and treatment
Thus one physician Is known as
a specialist iu The treatment Of dis.
eases OF che nervous system. an
other as q throat specialist p third
as 2 stomach specialist and SO on
Ordinarily each OF these phvsi.
clans practices quite independently
~ hts fellows The result especial
Is whom it Is a question Sf making
diagnosis IN doubtful case
often Is Nnduly heavy expense on
patients and serious loss OF time by
thom
To onset this q is proposed that
special SIS voluntarily form groups
inside or outside of hospitals. where
by for one fee patient may have
rho hcnrft ~ The knowledge 81 sew,
erai SPECIALISTS
such system has obvious advan
fages hu' n also has disadvantage
A. was recently pointed ONT by pr
wv FaX1u. WHITE 1T tf1v ffirr-tt4ft
Medical and Surgical Journal
III Incomes are pooled. SO also
musl expenses hich Increase rap
ions wiih the group medicine sys
f.U nr pooled and salaries must
re naid IN other words. medicine
ceases 10 be a profession and be-
comes q business
lt means diminished personal re-
ia'lon ia fhr patient. a real loss
8itho dficglt 10 estimate In terms
" money
business is built upon advertis-
ing ard f-he- -irid collection OF &C
counts ching doctors would desire,
.s4-- T. ~ 4. p -.--s. line We reC
uni1e 0ouid Dc taking advantage
of other, misf0rtInes
So while recognizing the efi
sency ~ group medicine we see
rhs' there are attendant evils that
uu-t he seriously considered
Sill The advantages 81 the group
system are Indeed great This viii
pes appreciated most of all bi those
who have rad The experience o. hay
Ing 20 pay fees 70 specialist after
speciali@t in thc endcavor 20 obtain
definite diagnosis OF some Oh
secure malady
THE great problem is how 20 OBJ
tain ,he advantages ~ group medi
cine without Turning ne doctor
nto bus ness man and iessenlnE
his personal interest In his patient
The mcdicel profession. I have no
doubt Wl yf' solve this groalem
satisfactorily Some OF the ablcs'
m.nds n the profession are now
concentrated on TO- because % in.
rreasinr belof that In the words ~
rr Haven Emerson
"Whaher BY organization BY en-.
dowmcut or by state employ meat
there must come change ~ tho
basis ~ medical practice
or. A. otherwise expressed by II
Richard Cabot with special refer
ence ca De- proposal for compulsory
health insurance
The great fault O, English and
German sysiems ~ sickness insnr
ance rs that they do not center
themselves around organized groups
~ phyaclans. thai is around hos
pitfalls
They stI rest upon the print
flve conception 81 The doctor work
INK alone ike the cobbler or ped
dler. not organized groups
The main purpose q medicine.
undpnlably is 20 make sick persons
well ln minimum ~ time AMI A.
4 minimum ~ expense This is Why
groun medicine in some form Is like
IN so be- The rule in the future