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Patient-Physician Covenant:
In these tumultuous times when doctors are called providers, and patients become consumers or cases or numbers, a review of the patient-physician covenant is both relevant and necessary. Recently, an editorial on this subject appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association (May 17, 1995;273:1553). The authors express the concern that the covenant of trust between patient and physician is seriously threatened. We believe that these ideas should be carefully considered and taken to heart. We have reprinted the editorial below and invite comment from our Archives readers.Daniel M. Albert, MD