Bernard Lown: Avoidable Care

Social Responsibility of Physicians

Posted on April 29, 2012 | 2 Comments

Bernard Lown, MD
Address presented at
Avoiding avoidable Care Conference 

April 26, 2012
Essay 29

Introduction

• Ever since starting clinical practice 62 years ago I have looked forward to this conference. Mercifully, good fortune and good genes enable me to attend.  From my earliest days in medicine I have struggled against the prevailing model of healthcare. My opposition in part was provoked by the growing prevalence of overtreatment. Resort to excessive interventions seemed to be the illegitimate child of technology in the age of market medicine. If more than a half century ago overtreatment was at a trickle pace, it is now at flood tide./.../