Healthcare today, in the broadest sense, is not a benevolent giant that wraps its powerful arms around the sick and vulnerable.

It is a world of opposing forces, such as government public health ambitions, basically unfettered market ambitions by hospitals, and downright profiteering by some of the conduits who stand between doctors and patients, such as insurers, pharmacy benefits managers, e-health record vendors and other technology companies.

Within healthcare, there is also a growing, more or less money-focused, sector of paramedicine promoting ‘alternative’ belief systems, some of which may be right on and showing the future direction for us all, and some of which are pure quackery.

I stand by my conviction that doctors must embrace the role of guide for their patients. If we see ourselves only as instruments or tools in the service of the government, the insurance companies or our healthcare organisations, patients are likely to mistrust our motives when we make diagnoses or recommend treatments.