Chang Ly-yun relates that 30 or 40 years ago, doctors in local clinics were on very familiar terms with their patients. Even in hospitals, although the institutional intermediary of the hospital inserted itself into the doctor-patient relationship, doctors still enjoyed great autonomy and room to act as they saw fit.
張苙雲指出，三、四十年前，小診所的醫師和病人間的關係直接而密切，就算是大醫院，醫病互動間雖多了「醫院」這個中介者，但醫師的自主和發揮空間仍然很大。