This book addresses the fundamental conflict of interest that physicians
face in their daily work lives between the ethics of proper medical care
versus the demands of standard business practices. However, unlike other
books of this sort, this one places direct responsibility for this
ethical dilemma upon the shoulders of physicians themselves. Taking
ethical, legal, and business perspectives into account, the book traces
the historically evolving response of American physicians to
ever-increasing business interests within the profession. These
financial concerns now have become intrinsic not only to the practice of
medicine but seemingly also to the character of a growing segment of its
practitioners. The book offers a plea for a change to a more socialized
healthcare system as used in other advanced nations.