In "The Lost Art of Gratitude," Isabel Dalhousie reflects on the ethical concerns surrounding the medical profession, particularly the influence of profit on healthcare. She describes a physician who embodies the ideal of selflessness in medicine, portraying him as an old-fashioned Scottish doctor who prioritizes patient care over financial gain. This character represents the moral values Isabel believes should dominate the field.
Isabel sees the merging of business and healthcare as a detrimental shift, lamenting that the perception of doctors as businesspeople poses a threat to the integrity of the profession. Her convictions highlight her desire for a return to a more compassionate and altruistic approach to medicine, where the focus is solely on the well-being of patients rather than monetary interests.