[The physicians--homo economicus or homo sociologicus?].
BACKGROUND
Different ways of organising and funding health services are based on certain assumptions about social action. Choice of theories affects the definition of the situation, policy content, goal fulfilment, as well as unintended effects. Here we discuss the role of the physician. How is it to be understood, and what implications do different theories and their accompanying political initiatives have for people's trust in doctors?


METHODS
We start out from a theoretical discussion based on the economic and sociological theory of action in combination with three different perspectives: those of patients, of government/politicians, and those of the doctors themselves.


RESULTS
It seems that patients see physicians as homo sociologicus; politicians see them as homo economicus; the physicians themselves are ambivalent towards their own role.


CONCLUSIONS
We should be careful not to design managerial systems that put the interests of patients and physicians in direct conflict, most of all because it could undermine the trust in the medical profession.
Lian
Olaug S
OS
Institutt for samfunnsmedisin Universitetet i Tromsø 9037 Tromsø. olaug.lian@ism.uit.no
Røttingen
John-Arne
JA
D016265:Conflict of Interest; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D010819:Physician's Role; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations