The 'Best'

I want to dialogue with the idea of 'the best' doctor.
I hear that a lot. It seems everyone has found 'the best' doctor to fit their needs.
"They have to operate, but he has the best heart surgeon in the United States".
"My gynecologist is rated number one in cervical cancer treatment".

First of all, who is doing the rating?
Second of all, what are they basing the ratings on? Lowest number of patient deaths? Highest level of training? Best bedside manner? (highly doubtful), Sexiness? (more likely.)
A small amount of research has led me to believe they base it on statistics which show the most performance with the best outcomes for the least amount of money paid by insurance companies.

It certainly is a comforting thought. Having the best.
We all want the best, but clearly, by nature of the word itself, only one person can inhabit that position. You are either 'the best' or you are not.
Seems like a strange binary for a field that needs to heal an entire world of people.

Read Rafael Campo's book 'Desire To Heal'.
It is a poetic look into empathy and the twisted business of being 'the best' doctor.