Care of the Patient: Art or Science?

The work of the late Dr. George Engel comprises this chapter, which was originally published the same year as Engel’s classic Science article. The “Care of the Patient” piece is both evolutionary and provocative. Nevertheless, it clearly parallels what Francis Peabody wrote in his classic article “The Care of the Patient” nearly 90 years ago. As Engel states, “The care of the patient, no less than the treatment of organ-level disease processes, is a matter for science; excellence in both reflects the art with which the physician applies scientific knowledge…. Enhancement of patient care and human well-being cannot help but follow.”