ABSTRACT
Our health is affected by the quality of community life. 1 This consists of a web of social relationships, including the relationship patients have with their physicians and other providers. As already noted, there is good evidence that the more extensive our social network, the better our health. Similarly, studies indicate that above a certain level of income, the more equality these relations reflect, the healthier we will be. The doctor-patient relationship is important as a source of medical care and, as I have argued, an important social relationship nestled in a web of relationships. 2 Thus, in addition to providing needed health care, the doctor-patient relationship has the wherewithal to contribute to the richness of community life. The benefits of the relationship between doctor and patient are not conferred solely on patients, but extend widely to the community in the form of social capital. 3
