Automated Multiphasic Health Testing

Abstract

R APID growth in medical care, as a result of expanding governmental programs and technological advances, has created a demand for medical services that far exceeds the present supply of physicians.On December 31, 1967, there were about 260,000 (132 per 100,000 pop- ulation) non-Federal physicians and osteopaths providing patient care in the United States in office-and hospital-based practice and in hos- pital training programs (1).Fewer than half of this number wore "family practice" physicians; that is, general practitioners, internists, and pediatricians.National estimated health expenditures were $56 billion in 1968 and are expected to reach $80 billion by 1971 (2).The demand for both preventive and therapeutic medical services is increasing, and it is apparent that if this de- mand is not met, some action will have to be taken to achieve more efficient use of availa'ole physicians.One approach to alleviating the shortage of physicians is to underplay preventive exam- inations and concentrate on treating only per- sons with obvious medical complaints.But this way is unfeasible since the practice of regular checkups is ingrained in some segments of our population.Another approach is to increase the number of physicians.Although 12 new medical schools were opened between 1964 and 1968 and enroll-