Controversies in the diagnosis and management of infectious diseases: conclusions.
This series of articles on controversies in the diagnosis and management of infectious diseases evolved from an annual conference sponsored by the Division of Infectious Diseases/Epidemiology of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University and supported by Smith Kline &French Laboratories and Fujisawa/SmithKline Corporation. It has been appropriate for the conference to be published in Reviews of Infectious Diseases since the Reviews has sought to look at the "big picture" of infectious diseases for not only the United States but for the entire world. In reviewing the topics and publications, did the series address true controversies in infectious diseases and were practical management solutions suggested? The first session addressed the reimbursement for health care and included articles by Petersdorf, Moleski and Andriole, and Gitch. Petersdorf stressed that the number of clinicians entering the speciality of infectious diseases was excessive and that there would be a glut of infectious disease physicians in the marketplace. He indicated that programs dedicated to infectious diseases should devote their clinical time to care of complex problems and to indigent patients. I, as have several readers, would have to take issue with Dr. Petersdorf since I believe that the bell has not tolled for the infectious diseases ex-