When did we stop talking about diagnosticians

Sitting around the philosophy table at my golf club this past week, some octogenarians started talking about physicians.  They reminisced about several physicians, labeling them as great diagnosticians.  I love the label, and now wonder where it went. As a college student I remember hearing my parents friends use the term great diagnostician to describe physicians.  So I asked the octogenarians about the term.  They (and the younger philosophers) told me that as patients and family members of patients a correct diagnosis was their highest priority.  This opinion was unanimous (and nothing is unanimous at the philosopher’s table. When did we stop worrying about the physician’s diagnostic skills?  Patients have not stopped worrying, but (to paraphrase Richard Sherman) the suits seem to have forgotten that diagnosis is Job #1. Medicine has a high degree of difficulty.  Figuring out the correct diagnosis requires skill, sometimes persistence and time.  We know that a correct diagnosis represents the sine qua non of excellent patient care. I wish the term diagnostician would return as a commonly used word.  That word describes us better than our more familiar labels.  I would beam with joy if someone called me a diagnostician.
Source: DB's Medical Rants - Category: Internal Medicine Authors: Tags: Medical Rants Source Type: blogs