The Medical Professionalism Blog

The Medical Professionalism Blog was created by the ABIM Foundation to stimulate conversation and highlight best practices related to professionalism as defined by the Medical Professionalism in the New Millenium: A Physician Charter.

By writing about new research, innovative ideas, and thought-provoking commentaries, we hope to engage stakeholders in advancing medical professionalism, improving quality of care and reducing unnecessary waste in the health care system.

About Daniel Wolfson

Having spent more than 30 years in the health care industry, I am an interested observer of the impact of culture, values and leadership in health care organizations and on the quality of the patient-physician relationship and professional behaviors. I am interested in medicine from the vantage point of a person dedicated to improving basic services for all.

Most of my career — minus the nine years at the ABIM Foundation — has been with not-for-profit, pre-paid group practices.  Through this experience, I saw the value of physicians working in a system of care where rewards were better aligned with the needs of the patient.

At the ABIM Foundation, I have tried to understand the dimensions of medical professionlism. I am particularly interested in how organizations affect the behaviors of physicians and clinicans. The responsibilities in the Physician Charter that go beyond the patient-physician, such as social justice and managing finite resources, don’t necessarily engage most physicians.  Physicians care about their patients first and foremost.

Open for considerable debate is my belief that physicians’ engagement in quality, safety and the management of health care resources ultimately improves the care they give their patients and adds to their joy of work. I look forward to hearing your point of view, even if it’s a dissenting one.