TEXTBOOK & Tutorial - Consumerism and Health

How does the concept of consumerism redefine the role of the individual seeking health services?

Consumerism informs discussions of health by suggesting that health-seeking individuals should be regarded as consumers rather than passive patients. This philosophy encourages individuals to take charge of their health-related decisions, and some view the individual as a client who "hires" the physician for expertise but ultimately directs the care.

What core philosophical shift underpins the application of consumerism to health care?

The shift is rooted in the increasing influence of free-market capitalism and neoliberalism, which assumes that human behavior is driven by the desire for maximum personal welfare. When applied to health care, this suggests that individuals should be able to choose a range of services and that the competitive market will ensure the best possible services and products are offered at the lowest cost.

What is the defining characteristic of the "informed consumer" or "expert patient" in health care?

The informed consumer operates under the mantra of choice, assuming that to navigate the wide array of available options and minimize risks, they must obtain a wealth of information about procedures, costs, benefits, and drawbacks. This knowledge facilitates a partnership with health care providers, transforming the patient-physician relationship into a two-way conversation.

In addition to free-market ideology, what key developments contributed to the empowerment of the informed consumer?

The transformation was supported by the work of patient groups, advocacy organizations, and the general belief that individuals have the freedom to make their own health decisions. Crucially, the advent of the internet dramatically changed the landscape by allowing widespread access to health information, forums for sharing experiences, and tools to track symptoms

What are some criticisms directed toward the "informed consumer" concept?

Critics point out that the informed consumer may feel overwhelmed and incapable of managing the complex information associated with serious health problems. Furthermore, the individual may be vulnerable to receiving information from websites that are unmonitored for quality or may contain commercially biased, inaccurate, or skewed data.

How have health care providers responded to consumerism through marketization strategies?

Providers have focused on customer satisfaction and adopted techniques common in other industries. This includes promoting patient satisfaction by improving the customer experience, enhancing the physical environment (creating a pleasant "healthscape"), and using sophisticated marketing techniques like branding, sponsoring, and public relations to attract clients.

Define "medical tourism" and explain how it demonstrates the impact of globalization on health care marketization.

Medical tourism is defined as the act of crossing national borders to access health care treatments. It exemplifies globalization because it is driven by the strengthening of the global free market, where goods, people, and services cross borders freely, allowing consumers to seek treatments abroad that may be cheaper, immediately available, or otherwise inaccessible locally.

How do marketing efforts relate to medical tourism destinations, and what is the concept of "internal brain drain" in this context?

Health tourism destinations, such as Bumrungrad International Hospital in Thailand, use extensive marketing strategies to attract foreign clients by offering various services (like luxury hospital amenities and concierge services). However, the economic prosperity gained from medical tourism can lead to "internal brain drain," where local medical professionals may abandon public sector jobs for more lucrative private work catering to wealthy foreign consumers, potentially reducing access to care for local residents.

What is the primary critique against the wholesale marketization of health care?

Critics contend that the application of market logic treats health as a commodity—something that can be bought and sold. This approach clashes with the idea that health is a fundamental right enjoyed equally by everyone, irrespective of economic status or location

How does the marketization focus on "individualism" create a challenge for health care systems?

Marketization stresses individualism—the idea that the individual's choice is paramount. This creates tension within publicly funded health care systems (like those in Canada and the UK) because individual demands conflict with the systemic need to organize and ration limited resources and treatments collectively.

What is Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) advertising, and what is the primary argument used by its supporters?

Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) advertising is pharmaceutical advertising aimed directly at the consumer, rather than solely at physicians. Supporters argue that DTC empowers consumers by providing them with knowledge about their conditions and potential treatments, making them feel more comfortable speaking with their physicians.

What is the main argument used by critics of DTC advertising?

Critics worry that DTC advertising can increase the likelihood of iatrogenic harm (harm caused by medical intervention). Furthermore, it may unduly influence consumer demand for specific drugs, potentially encouraging physicians to prescribe medications that are not medically optimal, adding a heavy burden on publicly funded health care systems due to increased prescription costs

How do healthcare providers sometimes use social media to combat misinformation?

They use social media to help combat misinformation by sharing credible research findings.

What purpose do professional codes of conduct serve regarding the information shared by regulated providers?

They ensure that information shared by regulated providers is evidence-based and free of influence.

What specific concern exists regarding a potential conflict of interest, and why is it a worry?

There is a worry that solely the perception of a conflict of interest can undermine public trust.

What is needed when licensed healthcare providers take money from industry or companies for social media posts?

Some say better oversight is needed.

At what level are dietitians overseen by regulators in Canada?

In Canada, dietitians are overseen by regulators at the provincial level.

What are the key takeaways from this article, "Is it ethical for dietitian influencers to take money for posts? Not everyone agrees." ?

• Healthcare providers sometimes use social media to help combat misinformation by sharing credible research findings

  • Some argue that professional codes of conduct ensure that information shared by regulated providers is evidence-based and free of influence

• There is no worry that solely the preception of conflict of interest can undermine public trust

• Some say better oversight is needed when it comes to licensed healthcare providers taking money from industry or companies for social media posts

  • In Canada, dietitians are overseen by regulators at the provincial level