Struggle and revolt in the Spanish health policy process: the changing role of the medical profession.
Many changes have taken place in the professional status and political role of the Spanish medical profession during the process of construction of the health care system (1940-1990). There is a strong correlation between the different characteristics of the several phases of construction of the national health care system and some of the changes in the status, organization, and political activity of the medical profession. The democratic transition coincided with changes in the orientation of the system brought about by financial imperatives, which forced readjustments in the survival and political projects of the profession. The creation of a democratic regime has allowed the medical profession to create its own independent mechanisms of interest representation and has given rise to a process of negotiation of the new political relations (and their mechanisms) between the State and the profession. The last 15 years have witnessed important transformations in some parameters of the profession, in its political organization, its political role, and its relation with the State.
Rodríguez
J A
JA
Departamento de Sociología, Universidad de Barcelona, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas, Spain.
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D006291:Health Policy / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D007750:Labor Unions; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000639:trends*; D010819:Physician's Role; D011056:Political Systems; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D012943:Social Security; D012952:Societies; D012962:Sociology, Medical / Q000639:trends; D013030:Spain