Author Description
Providing health care in the most cost-effective way has become a priority in recent years. This book tackles the important issue of the potential conflict between economic expediency and the welfare of individual patients. Contributors examine different attitudes to this complex problem, along with a variety of legal and historical perspectives. The book addresses particular aspects of health care, such as medical expert systems, general practice, medical education, and clinical decision-making where the direct involvement of doctors in allocating scarce and expensive resources is perhaps most obvious.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This text investigates the inherent tension between the necessity for cost-effective healthcare delivery and the ethical obligation to prioritize individual patient welfare. Editors Alistair McGuire and Gavin Mooney compile contributions from various experts to analyze how economic constraints influence clinical practice. The work provides a framework for understanding the intersection of fiscal policy, legal standards, and medical decision-making in modern healthcare systems.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of resource allocation in clinical settings
- Examination of medical expert systems and their economic impact
- Historical and legal perspectives on healthcare rationing
- Discussion on the role of doctors in managing scarce resources
Scope Limits
- Does not provide a singular solution to healthcare funding
- Excludes detailed analysis of pharmaceutical pricing models
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts identify this collection as a foundational resource for understanding the ethical dilemmas inherent in healthcare management. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a standard reference for students and professionals in health policy.
Page Count:
176
Publication Date:
1988-04-07
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0192616722
ISBN-13:
9780192616722
Decision Making
Medical care
Health Economics
Public Policy
Healthcare Administration
Medical Ethics