Nostalgia can be misleading, memories biased. Medicine before the advent of antibiotics, lead to many premature deaths. Many people died then what few die of now: appendicitis, pneumonia, sinus infections, tuberculosis, typhoid fever, and many more.

When people refer to old-fashioned medicine, they are referring not to the science of medicine but the art of practicing medicine. When patients are surveyed today, the best doctors in their eyes are not the smartest, the best surgeons, but in fact the most empathetic, caring, and have old-fashioned bedside manner. The art is at the heart:
– We know you, are your friend, confidant, adviser, and help you get through illnesses or manage them.
– We listen, ask, and try to decipher your symptoms.
– We share your life by listening to your stories, laughs, joys, pains and struggles.
– We understand your wishes, your end of life concerns, how much modern medicine you want to undergo
– We are empathetic to the burden the business of medicine puts on you.
– Our time is yours and we give you our best.

The application of empathy, compassion, and connection is what is called old-fashioned, because it is missing in the rushed, cattle drive of depersonalized medicine. Today we don’t get paid for the art of practicing medicine …. or, do we?? In fact, it is the “art” that pays valuable returns – the treasure that is priceless, and it has nothing to do with money.

No, “old-fashioned medicine” isn’t really old-fashioned, it is exactly the kind of thing we all need in all facets of life.