This ground-breaking book encourages a re-focus on the subjective and social nature of health and illness. It helps healthcare professionals find fresh perspectives to assist patients, many of whom are threatened by and lost in a healthcare system dominated by diseases and procedures. The book takes a whole systems approach to primary care, incorporating new developments, social aspects, critical discourse, international perspectives, and the history and philosophy of medicine. It is a stimulating and inspiring read for general practitioners and other primary healthcare professionals, undergraduate and postgraduate medical students, healthcare educators, academics, and primary care researchers. Healthcare policy makers and shapers will value its lucid account of complex issues.

1. Section 1: Historical Perspective of Medicine: from Shaman to modern physician 2. The history of medicine 3. Development of medicine knowledge 4. Medical education 5. The origins of general practice 6. Emerging patterns 7. Section 2: Philosophical perspective of medicine: the search for meaning of health illness 8. Some philosophical fragments on medicine 9. Philosophical fragments on science 10. Systems thinking 11. Emerging patterns 12. Section 3: The practice of medicine: healing: The epidemiology of illness and disease 13. Disease, illness and health 14. The practice of medicine 15. Practising general practice/family medicine 16. Emerging patterns 17. Section 4: The social function of medicine: the interdependence of health in society 18. The social nature of health and medicine 19. Social responsibility 20. Health care in societal context 21. Health inequalities 22. Emerging patterns 23. Section 5: Medicine in the community: towards primary care 24. Primary care 25. The healthcare vortex: A metaphor for a sustainable healthcare system

Honorary Associate Professor of General Practice, Monash University, Victoria, Conjoint Associate Professor of General Practice, University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, Member, National Standing Committee of Education, National Coordinator, AKT-segment, Board of Examiners, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and General Practitioner in private group practice