Evolution of Medicine: From Ancient Practices to Modern Innovations

1. Chapter 4 Health Care Yesterday and Today

3. Learning Objectives • Define key terms • Describe ancient beliefs about health and illness • List key people in the history of medicine and describe their contributions to the profession

4. Learning Objectives • Discuss at least five significant developments in the medical profession during the past century • Differentiate between acute, long-term, subacute, home, and ambulatory care settings

5. Learning Objectives • Compare the sole proprietorship, partnership and corporation and list the potential benefits and disadvantages of each • Describe the role and education of medical doctors

6. Learning Objectives • List and describe the characteristics of at least ten different areas in which physicians may specialize • List and describe four types of nonphysician specialties • Describe the roles of the various members of the health-care team

7. A Brief History of Medicine • The origin of medicine • The history of the practice of medicine • The present-day culture of medicine

8. Ancient Health Care • First health-care professionals were priests or other religious leaders • Diseases were believed to be caused by evil spirits • Treatments were rituals and ceremonies • Exercise, massage, and hygiene practices are still used today

9. Hippocrates • Greek medical scholar • Goal was to identify cause of illness • Father of Medicine • Hippocratic Oath

10. Claudius Galen • Greek physician followed Hippocrates’ teachings • Surgeon using animals for dissection because human dissection was illegal • Imbalance of “humors” — black bile, yellow bile, phlegm, and blood

11. Andreas Vesalius • Belgian • Father of Modern Anatomy • Published De Corporis Humani Fabrica

12. Leonardo da Vinci • Drawings contributed to the understanding of human anatomy

13. Anton van Leeuwenhoek • Developed magnification lens • First to observe microorganisms • First microscope— Marcello Malpighi, an Italian, known as the first histologist

14. Edward Jenner • Observations of dairy maids prompted thinking about immunity • Developed smallpox vaccine by using cowpox virus

15. Crawford Williamson Long • “Ether frolic” • His observations led to the use of ether as an anesthetic • General anesthesia

16. Elizabeth Blackwell • First woman in United States to receive a medical degree • New York Infirmary for Indigent Women and Children • Professor of gynecology at London School of Medicine for Women

17. Louis Pasteur • Father of Bacteriology • Recognized relationship between bacteria and disease • Milk pasteurization

18. Joseph Lister • Applied Pasteur’s theory to surgery • Sterilized instruments • Washed hands • Medical asepsis • Father of Sterile Surgery

19. Wilhelm Konrad Roentgen • German professor of physics • Discovered X-rays • Roentgenography • Father of Roentgenography

20. Current Medicine • New developments of medications and diagnostic tests • New procedures • Research in stem cells and cloning

21. Health-Care Settings • Acute care (hospitals)—patients receive medical and nursing care 24 hours a day • Long-term care (LTC)—nursing homes provide skilled care for residents • Subacute care—intermediate level of temporary care and rehabilitation

22. Health-Care Settings • Home care—patients remain in private home, nurses and nurses aids provide assistance if necessary; assisted living facilities • Ambulatory care—physician’s offices and clinics

23. Medical Practices • The sole proprietorship—single physician in sole practice • The partnership—two or more physicians in practice together • The corporation—multiple physicians employed as part of larger organization and shareholders; regulated by state

24. Health-Care Team • Physicians—medical doctors trained to diagnose and treat patients; education is usually 4 years undergrad, 4 years medical school, 3–8 years internship, residency, or specialty; physicians can choose to go into many specialty areas

25. Health-Care Team • Licensed practical nurses (LPN)—1–2 years of school; licensed by the state • Registered nurses (ADN or BSN)—2-year associate degree, 4-year bachelor’s degree; licensed by the state • Advanced practice nurse (APN)—master’s degree nursing (MSN) plus specialty area

26. Florence Nightingale • Founder of modern-day nursing • “Lady with the lamp”

27. Health-Care Team • Physician’s assistant (PA)—B.S. degree and some M.S. degree • Certification examination to practice • Varies from state to state • Supervising physician

28. Health-Care Team • Medical technologist (MT)—B.S. degree • License or certification • ASCP credential • Work in laboratories • May supervise medical laboratory technicians

29. Health-Care Team • Therapists • Physical (PT)—M.S. degree, licensed; work to restore physical function and mobility • Occupational (OT)—M.S. degree, licensed; work with a variety of disabilities to achieve optimal level of function, ADLs

30. Health-Care Team • Therapists • Respiratory (RT)—chest percussion, improve breathing and pulmonary function tests • Speech (ST)—M.S. degree, national certification, clinical experience, variety of speech, voice, and language disorders

31. Health-Care Team • Registered dieticians—B.S. degree, national examination, continued education, food and nutrition • EMTs—several levels of certification, trained to evaluate the emergency scene, start IV therapy, and stabilize patients for transport

32. Health-Care Team • Paramedics—supervise EMTs, varying levels of training; trained to provide emergency interventions for ill or injured • Technicians • Phlebotomists—one-semester or 1-year program; trained to draw blood

33. Health-Care Team • Technicians • Radiologic—Associate or B.S. degree; take X-rays and assist with radiologic procedures • Medical laboratory technicians (MLTs)— associate degree, national certification; supervised by MT and work in laboratories

34. Health-Care Team • Administrative specialists • Medical coding—on-the-job, continuing education, associate degree; code diagnoses and procedures for reimbursement • Transcriptionist—record provider’s notes into permanent record; accuracy is essential

35. Discussion • Discuss history of medicine • Identify ancient treatments in medicine that are still used today • List all the physician specialties in your area • Differentiate therapists and their areas of specialty • Explain differences between RN, LPN, MA

36. Credits