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Wednesday, July 30. 2014

Medical guidelines

Guidelines have consequences – intended and unintended.


I don't know what practicing clinician has time to write guidelines for other docs, but guidelines are nothing but trouble. The best medical care is both art and science. Knowledge is always incomplete, patients are individuals with unique situations, and all docs have their own preferences and points of view. Guidelines end up being little more than fodder for tort lawyers and time-wasters.


Worst of all, young docs feel as if they have to follow them. Many things go wrong when practicing by the book. Medicine is an art and a science.

Posted by Dr. Joy Bliss in Medical, Our Essays, Psychology, and Dr. Bliss at 15:28 | Comments (2) | Trackbacks (0)

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Guidelines seem to serve two purposes; they keep the young and/or inexperienced from re-inventing the wheel and they help to idiot proof procedures in some fields. Again I say help to. Beyond that, I agree they are a waste of time for the experienced.
#1 fodderwing on 2014-07-30 20:28 (Reply)
Don't forget that the people who graduated dead last in medical school get called "Doctor", too.

Guidelines can be helpful for a lot of things, but in no way are they better than a good doctor. The question is, what percentage of people who get called "Doctor" are good doctors? In my experience that proportion is significant...
#2 JM01 on 2014-08-04 13:36 (Reply)

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