Too Conscientious: The Evolution of Ethical Challenges to Professionalism in the American Medical Marketplace (The International Library of Bioethics, 94)

This book addresses the fundamental conflict of interest that physicians face in their daily work lives between the ethics of proper medical care versus the demands of standard business practices. However, unlike other books of this sort, this one places direct responsibility for this ethical dilemma upon the shoulders of physicians themselves. Taking ethical, legal, and business perspectives into account, the book traces the historically evolving response of American physicians to ever-increasing business interests within the profession. These financial concerns now have become intrinsic not only to the practice of medicine but seemingly also to the character of a growing segment of its practitioners. The book offers a plea for a change to a more socialized healthcare system as used in other advanced nations. Preface Acknowledgments Contents About the Author Abbreviations 1 “Too Conscientious”: Marketplace Realities Confront Medical Professionalism References 2 The Rise and Fall of the American Medical Association’s Anti-corporate Policy: A Conflation of Ethics and Privilege References 3 Twentieth Century Evolution of American Medical Business Interests: Insurance, Funding, and the Seeds of Federal Managed Care References 4 As American Society Evolves so Does Medicine: Autonomy, Informed Consent, and Liability References 5 Open for Business: New Management for the Doctors’ Workshop References 6 Welcome to Medicine, Inc.: Professionalism V. Production References 7 Physicians and Businessmen: Contradictions in Health Care References 8 Autonomy, Agency, and Advocacy: Seeking Medicolegal Alliance References 9 Medicine and the Courts References 10 Financial Conflicts of Interest in Medicine: Effects and Theories of Causation References 11 The Internal Morality of Medicine: A Matter of Faith References 12 Social and Distributive Justice in Health Care References 13 An Uncertain Future for Medicine: Business or Profession? References Appendices Appendix A Interview/Survey Questions Appendix B Limited Survey Summary and Interpretation References Appendix C Internalsville Revisited Reference Index