PASSAGE 45

MEDICAL CARE

Medical care has changed greatly since the days when the family doctor treated all
family members for every type of medical problem. Today's physician is usually a specialist
who treats only problems with his or her specialty. Today's specialists often work together in
a large group in order to share costs. The group will buy expensive equipment for its own
offices rather than use hospital facilities. The physician's office usually has a laboratory
where a variety of medical tests can be done. So, unlike the family doctor, who often visited
patients at home, today's doctors normally see patients in their office, where they can use
specialized equipment.

A. VOCABULARY
To treat: to care for, to try to make a patient well again
Specialist: a person who has a particular skill or knows a lot about a particular subject
Specialty: a particular type of work a person does best
Equipment: things used for particular purpose
Facility: pieces of equipment or services provided for a particular purpose
A variety of: a number of
Unlike: different from, contrasting
To specialize: to become a specialist

II. EXERCISES: Complete the sentences with a suitable form of the words defined
above.

1. Some cases of infertility are easy to .,.., although others require complex treatment. 2.
He .... in collecting the work of four artists he considered to be the true Cubists,
Picasso, Braque, Leger and Gris.
2. They will want to know that you have a safe, warm place for children to play, and that
your kitchen and toilet.... are adequate.
3. People are still injecting and sharing dirty ......
4. In London we have a team of 4 .... nurses backed up by 2 doctors.

III. REDING COMREHENSION

1. The difference between the family doctor of the past and today's physician is that .............

A. family doctors charge higher fees.

B. the latter does not treat every type of medical problems.
C. both are not specialized in a branch.
D. physicians can't carry out tests.
E. family doctors see the patients of their family.
2. We can infer from the passage that the family doctor...........

A. does not need expensive equipment today.

B. is rich enough, so he need not share costs.
C. avail himself of the hospital facilities
D. only treats those who have a family today.
E. worked on his own.

3. It is clear in the passage that today's doctor.........

A. is not satisfied with the opportunities he has.

B. sometimes visits patients at home.
C. has problems with his or her specialty.
D. is better equipped than the family doctor.
E. must have a laboratory where he can do tests.