Humane Medicine

This book, written by a surgeon with more than thirty years experience of clinical medicine, examines what it is that doctors do, and what it is that patients expect of them. It finds that in the face of uncertainty, expectation and reality often diverge.



Despite its impressive achievements, modern medicine still seems to have failed to satisfy public expectations. Government regulation of hospitals and doctors is tightening in most Western countries. Health funding is a divisive political issue. In the United States especially, medical litigation has reached alarming levels. Is there something wrong with medical research and practice? This 1995 book examines what doctors do, and what patients expect them to do. It finds that in the face of uncertainty, expectation and reality often diverge. Starting from the communication difficulties that exist between doctors and patients, Humane Medicine explores the roles of science, ethics and the humanities in medical practice. It argues that more science cannot heal this rift, nor can better education in ethics. To foster better communication, medical teachers must ensure that value-laden issues in clinical medicine are interwoven with the necessary science. Professor Little outlines some possible ways to achieve this.