The Integrative Stream

In Memoriam

Dr. Daniel S. Bernstein passed away earlier this week, at 80. Dr. Bernstein was an early and vocal supporter of fluoridation initiatives, an vocal peace activist, and an incredibly influential educator in the local medical community. I knew almost none of this. Dr. Bernstein was also my primary care provider for the last six years, and an incredible example of the best kind of patient care – a model that younger doctors may aspire to but are often prevented from reaching in today’s medical environment. Dr. Bernstein would spend as much time with a patient as they needed. He never cut a corner. He reviewed your previous notes before your visit, and always followed up. When you didn’t need to worry about something, he told you why, and when you did need to worry, he told you what to do about it.

I’ve been relatively fortunate with my health, but there have been a few incidents over the years, and that’s one reason I’ve always tried have regular checkups and good doctors. I was lucky to get into Dr. Bernstein’s practice at all – I only found him on the recommendation of one of my own mentors, who had been a student of Dr. Bernstein’s years earlier, and Dr. Bernstein took me into his practice (which, given his age at the time, he had closed to new patients) as a favor. Apparently that was fairly common – he always wanted to help, and, as his obituary in the Boston Globe points out, was still inquiring after his patients from his own hospital bed.

I’m not looking forward to finding a new doctor, because I doubt that I’ll be so fortunate in the future. Primary Care is in crisis; there isn’t a single open slot in any of the hospital affiliated primary care practices at the major teaching hospitals in Harvard Medical Center. Younger doctors don’t seem to have the opportunity to practice the kind of medicine that Dr. Bernstein did. Of course, Dr. Bernstein’s personality was a bit exceptional – he was clearly more than a product of his era! – but I can’t help but see an important policy question here. How can we create a system that will make more doctors like him?