Liberal Thought, Radical Theory and Medical Practice

Many authorities criticize American medicine for being under-organized and inefficient. Their proposed solutions involve varying degrees of industrialization and larger groups of physicians practicing together. A central malaise in American life today, however, is depersonalization, and the radical analysis of our society calls for smaller, less rigid units of service. In the long run these may be more efficient than larger units planned by the cost-accounting method. Medical care, being a personal service, may develop dis-economies of scale early on. Any reform of American medicine must be based not only on the need to get care to all people, but also on growing demand of all citizens, especially the young, for personal, humanistic services.