Theneedforgeneralistsisundeniablebutonecannotunderestimatetheneedandimportanceofspecialists.Themedicalprofessionisagoodexampleofanareathatrequiresbothgeneralistsandspecialists.Iftherewerenogeneralistsintheprofessiontherewouldbenoonetohelppatientsdeterminewhenaspecialistwasneeded.Therearecertainproblemsthatageneralpractitionercantakecareofandthereareotherproblemsthatareoutofhisorherleague.Thegeneralpractitioneristheanappropriateplacetostartwhenapatientdevelopsaproblem.Manytimesthegeneralpractitionerismorethancapableofhandlingproblemsthatariseandothertimesheorsheisunabletofullytakecontrolofthepatient’scare.Itisn’tafaultwiththegeneralpractitioners.Thereisjusttoomuchtoknowforanyonepersontobeanexpertonalltopics.Ittakespeopleyearstobecomeexpertsonasingletopic,nevermindbeinganexpertoneverythinginthemedicalprofession.
Iamcurrentlyworkinginalargeteachinghospitalwheretheneedforbothgeneralpractitionersandspecialistsisobvious.Whenapatientisadmittedtoageneralmedicinefloor,thegeneralmedicinephysiciansarenotalwaysabletodealwitheveryproblemthepatienthaswithoutsomehelpfromthespecialists.Itwouldbeunrealistic,nottomentionunfairtothegeneralpractitioners,toexpectthegeneralpractitionerstoknoweverythingabouteverything.Thekeyistoknowwhereeveryone’sknowledgeandareaofexpertiselieandusetheirstrengthstooptimizepatientcare.
OnthegeneralmedicineteaminwhichIworked,theteamwouldconstantlyberequestingconsultsfromspecialists.Whetheritbearenal,...