ABSTRACT
In the increasingly complex world of medical diagnosis and treatment, the care we provide for patients often cannot be contained in an office visit. Physicians are often accused of having a "silo" attitude towards healthcare, in that they are only aware of what happens in the hospital and office. Responsibility for the care of patients cannot end with the care of individuals. Each of us who participates in this endeavor also bears some responsibility for sustaining and improving a system of care so that it regularly and readily provides optimal care. Physicians must feel obliged to collaborate with other health professionals and to use systematic approaches for promoting, maintaining, and improving the health of individuals and populations. They must understand the economic, occupational, social, and psychological factors that contribute to the development or perpetration of conditions. In caring for individual patients, they must apply the principles of evidence-based medicine and cost-effectiveness in making decisions about utilization of limited resources.
