On western health care

In an age of increasing disparity between the health systems of rich and poor countries, Suffering and healing in America offers an analysis of how America’s health system can learn from the achievements of those in more poorly funded settings. The author argues that health care in America risks the charge of hubris as it increasingly fails to address the needs of poorer members of the community. Furthermore, Western medicine has so raised the expectations of cure that it has contributed to the loss of capacity to cope with suffering when cure is not possible. He discusses the comparative notions of cure and healing and the evolving role of family medicine within the health care system.