TABLE 5.1 MEDICAL PROFESSIONALISM IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM: A PHYSICIAN CHARTER a Fundamental Principles • Principle of primacy of patient welfare • Principle of patient autonomy • Principle of social justice A Set of Professional Responsibilities • Commitment to professional competence • Commitment to honesty with patients • Commitment to patient confidentiality • Commitment to maintaining appropriate relations with patients • Commitment to improving quality of care • Commitment to a just distribution of finite resources • Commitment to scientific knowledge • Commitment to maintaining trust by managing conflicts of interest • Commitment to professional responsibilities a From the ABIM Foundation American Board of Internal Medicine; ACP-ASIM Foundation American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine; European Federation of Internal Medicine Medical professionalism in the new millennium: a physician charter Ann Intern Med 2002;136(3):243–246 DETAILED SOCIAL HISTORY Time is short in the usual ED visit but take an extra minute to gather some social history Your concern is for the diagnosis but the extra questions about the child, his lifestyle, the family background and culture may help you with the diagnosis but also help to humanize the patient, and in asking these questions humanize yourself