[Maintaining solidarity: is mutuality the solution?].
Solidarity is essentially the willingness to contribute to the community and its demands, which may even involve contributing more than one is expecting to receive. Another principle is mutuality: this refers to a balance between rights and obligations or between mutual obligations. In its advisory document 'The importance of mutuality......solidarity takes work!', The Dutch Council for Public Health and Health Care underlines the importance of ensuring solidarity within the Dutch health care system, e.g. by encouraging patients to take responsibility for their own health, possibly by introducing elements of mutuality. In our contribution, we comment on the Council's advice. Although we fully agree with the overall conclusion that solidarity should be maintained within the system, we do not see how the introduction of increased mutuality will contribute to this goal.
Academisch Medisch Centrum, afd. Sociale Geneeskunde, Amsterdam.
J K M
JK
Gevers
M C
MC
Ploem
D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards*; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D006801:Humans; D009426:Netherlands; D011634:Public Health; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D013221:State Health Plans