Consumer competence and the reform of American health care.
This report examines the role of the expert in the American health care system, both as provider and administrative policymaker. It shows that the guiding assumption of American health care policy, ie, that the medical system can and should be managed by experts on behalf of consumers and patients, does not hold up to scrutiny. It also demonstrates that the important theme in American history of placing authority and responsibility for action in the hands of the individual has not been sufficiently influential in American health care. Drawing on this theme and creating consumer competence and responsibility in health care choices as the keys to health care reform in the United States are advocated.
Reiser
S J
SJ
Program on Humanities and Technology in Health Care, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston 77225.
D000328:Adult; D030861:Capitalism; D003256:Community Participation / Q000191:economics; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006264:Health Benefit Plans, Employee; D006291:Health Policy; D006740:Hospital Administrators; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D007258:Informed Consent; D015273:Insurance Selection Bias; D016224:Living Wills; D010819:Physician's Role; D040841:Resource Allocation; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014481:United States; D035862:Vulnerable Populations