title: Perceptions of medical school seniors of the current changes in the U.S. health care system.
abstract: Perceptions of medical school seniors about changes occurring in the health care environment were investigated. A survey was completed by 196 Jefferson Medical College seniors in the class of 1997. Of the respondents, 79% believed that cost reduction rather than quality of care is the primary consideration behind recent changes, 78% felt that managed care organizations hamper physicians' abilities to render optimal care, 83% maintained that the control of health care by insurance companies would lead to lower quality of care, 69% agreed that patients should have the freedom to seek a specialist's care without being referred by a primary care physician, 82% recommended that mentally ill patients should be referred to a mental health professional, and 82% believed that learning to work in a managed care environment should be an essential component of medical education. Assessment of student perceptions can assist in the development and implementation of appropriate curricular changes.
authors.affiliation: Jefferson Medical College, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hojat
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Veloski
authors.forename: D Z
authors.initials: DZ
authors.lastname: Louis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ibarra
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Gottlieb
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Erdmann
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003363:Cost Control; D003479:Curriculum; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D019981:Health Care Sector / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000458:organization & administration; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States