Hospitalists reduce harm and improve care for hospitalized patients

Canadian Family Physician Journal, July 2017, 63 (7) 510-511

Excerpt

Dr Ladouceur’s editorial in the April 2017 issue of Canadian Family Physician1 is the latest in a long series of the journal’s commentaries2–4 in which the authors nostalgically reminisce about a bygone era when family doctors did everything and “comprehensive family practice” was the norm. A common thread among these editorials is the assertion that the traditional family practice model is the criterion standard and the progressive subspecialization of family doctors and the emergence of areas of focused practice is a perversion of family medicine. Interestingly, other than personal anecdotes and nostalgic references to the past, no actual evidence is provided by the authors that the quality of care delivered by family doctors during this presumed “golden era” was actually better than what is currently being provided by more focused general practitioners.