Amra Zalihic, M.D., Ph.D.

Not so long ago, a rule that a physician, a teacher and a monk are the most important persons in their village existed in my country (Bosnia and Herzegovina). Why this rule disappeared?

Doctors have never been well paid in my country, but they had a high social status and reputation. They still are not paid enough, and the status and prestige of this important profession have been lost. That’s what worries me.

Health care is commercialized, and, consequently doctors. Physicians and patients are separated by administrators and the connection between physicians and patients is lost. I do not know how will this affect our patients. I only know that to be a doctor in Bosnia and Herzegovina is more difficult than to be a doctor in Western countries because doctors in Bosnia and Herzegovina are less respected, less valued and less paid than their counterparts in Western countries.

This is a commentary on the article, “The social status of physicians and the quality of health care” by Leo Sher, M.D. published on our website, www.internetandpsychiatry.com