Medical care has several important functions other than
restoring or maintaining health.
These other functions are assessment and certification
of health status, prognostication, segregation of the
ill to limit communication of illness, and helping to
cope with the problems of illness—the caring function.
Medical care serving these "paracurative" functions may
legitimately be given independently, without associated
curing or preventive intent of the provider of care.
Although such services do not result in benefits to
health, such as an extension of life or a reduction of
disability, they do have other valued outcomes, outcomes
not measurable as a gain in personal health status.
For example, caring activities may result in
satisfaction, comfort, or desirable affective states,
even while
Medical care has several important functions other than
restoring or maintaining health.
These other functions are assessment and certification
of health status, prognostication, segregation of the
ill to limit communication of illness, and helping to
cope with the problems of illness—the caring function.
Medical care serving these "paracurative" functions may
legitimately be given independently, without associated
curing or preventive intent of the provider of care.
Although such services do not result in benefits to
health, such as an extension of life or a reduction of
disability, they do have other valued outcomes, outcomes
not measurable as a gain in personal health status.
For example, caring activities may result in
satisfaction, comfort, or desirable affective states,
even while
Medical care has several important functions other than
restoring or maintaining health.
These other functions are assessment and certification
of health status, prognostication, segregation of the
ill to limit communication of illness, and helping to
cope with the problems of illness—the caring function.
Medical care serving these "paracurative" functions may
legitimately be given independently, without associated
curing or preventive intent of the provider of care.
Although such services do not result in benefits to
health, such as an extension of life or a reduction of
disability, they do have other valued outcomes, outcomes
not measurable as a gain in personal health status.
For example, caring activities may result in
satisfaction, comfort, or desirable affective states,
even while