Getting the news.

Modern medical care is a 2-edged sword. Technical advances have improved our ability to diagnosis and treat disease, but they can also create a frightening, painful and bewildering environment for the patient seeking care. In this essay, the author shares his recent encounter with a life-threatening disease, emphasizing the unique contributions of the family physician to patient care, and pointing out some of the pitfalls of new communication tools such as e-mail.