KevinMD January 3, 2026
At its best, the doctor-patient relationship is an intimate one. Often, our patients appear before us in the most vulnerable moments of their lives. We treat their diseases, but we also tend to their emotional and spiritual well-being. That kind of intimacy can be meaningful and rewarding, but it can also breed awkward and even potentially compromising interactions. That is particularly true when money gets involved.
Despite widespread dissatisfaction with the health care system as a whole, medical workers (physicians, nurses, and physician assistants) are still generally perceived positively. Many of our patients perceive us as well-educated, high-achieving, and well-connected. We are also perceived as high-income earners. Over the course of my career, this perception has led more than one...
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