More humanism and less science, that’s what medicine needs. But, humanism is hard work,and a lot of science is just Tinkertoy. Robertson Davies, The Cunning Man

David J. Elpern, MD
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 2002;47:317-8.

Author’s note (July 2015): I wrote this report based on an office study I did in 2000. Originally, it had a number of tables, but the editors truncated the paper, thus confirming the saying, “A camel is a horse designed by a committee.” Still, I often reminisce on the research’s findings: that almost all of our patients need our specialized knowledge and our comfort and caring, while only some require our technical skills. Sadly, a few seconds of cryotherapy are more lucrative than half an hour of sympathetic listening.

Word File: The Care of Patients Elpern
PDF: The Care of Patients Elpern

Calligraphy by Elaine Adler