Stewardship of health care more than mere juggling act

Hoven remarks that physicians have an ethical responsibility to manage wisely the health care resources with which they are entrusted. Being a good steward has never been simple. It requires dedication, knowledge and constant awareness to make the right decisions at any given time under varying circumstances. It's no easy task to do this in a way that treats everyone fairly and provides the best possible medical care, given disparities in insurance coverage, access to care, technology and many other issues. And while responsibility to individual patients should be paramount as they consider the use of resources, they also have an obligation to patients in general.