Disarming Frontline Doctors

February 5, 2021

(The New Atlantis) – But the sense of disorientation also stems from a longstanding tension between two medical communities: practicing physicians and what might be called the academic-governmental establishment. Each group has its own sphere of influence, with practicing physicians acting as the authorities in immediate medical decision-making. Their academic counterparts in universities or government agencies, by contrast, are often removed from decisions that immediately affect patient care, yet they generally determine what tools and medicines are available to the public. Some doctors, such as those at university hospitals, may be part of both communities. But despite this overlap, there is a fundamental friction between the two, which often manifests in contrasting visions of how to evaluate evidence, approach patient care, and understand the role of the doctor.