Question

Think of a patient making a choice about which physician to see or which hospital to choose for treatment. In one paragraph, please address the following:

1 - Who is the consumer:

When it comes to the physician market?

When it comes to the hospital market?

2 - Does the timeframe of the care matter?

3 - Does the severity of the illness matter?

4 - Who is accountable for negative patient outcomes in these markets? Explain at least one way in which sanctions can occur.

Answer 1

In the case of a patient making a choice about which physician to see or which hospital to choose for treatment, the patient is the consumer when it comes to the physician market as well as the hospital market. Here the patient purchases services from the physician as well as the hospitals. The timeframe of the care certainly matters when it comes to choosing a hospital or a physician. For a lengthy stay, a hospital with better facilities and comparatively low cost will be chosen but a physician choice will always be made depending only on the physician's quality or expertise. The severity of illness is the most significant factor to be considered while a patient makes choices about a physician and a hospital for treatment. Since a severe illness requires a well experienced expert physician and a hospital with all facilities, experts, and a better approach, this is the most important factor and it certainly matters. The hospital and the physician are both accountable for negative patient outcomes in these markets. Sanctions against a hospital or physician for negative patient outcomes would be a cancellation of license. In such a case, the physician/hospital would lose the license to practice as a disciplinary action. Sometimes it would be license restriction, license suspension, probation, continuing medical education, etc.