Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Patients vs. customers: the ethics of health care as a business

Jean Paul Brutus, MD
Physician
March 3, 2023
21 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

Medicine is both a business and a profession, with the business aspect being the provision of health care services for a fee and the professional aspect being the delivery of medical care for the patient’s benefit.

The business of medicine refers to the broader economic and political systems that shape the health care industry, such as government policies, insurance regulations, and the influence of pharmaceutical companies and other industry stakeholders.

The terms “patient” and “customer” or “client” are often used interchangeably in the context of health care, but they have different meanings.

A patient is someone who receives medical treatment or care for an illness or injury.

A customer or client, on the other hand, is someone who buys a product or service.

A customer or client knows and understands what he wants and needs and will pay for what he wants.

On the other hand, patients may not be as informed as their doctor about what they have and need.

They may want something that is not in their best interest, or that may not be the most appropriate treatment for their condition.

The physician has a fiduciary duty to act in the patient’s best interest and provide the best possible care, even if it may not align with the patient’s immediate wishes.

Traditional models of health care have viewed patients primarily as passive recipients of medical care, with little control over their treatment or the health care system as a whole. This was the paternalistic model.

In recent years, however, there has been a strong shift to a more patient-centered approach, in which patients are seen as active participants in their own care and are given more control over their treatment options. Gone is parental control. And it is a good thing.

With the shift to a more consumer-oriented health care system, patients are increasingly seen as customers or clients.

This has led to an emphasis on customer service and patient satisfaction and an increased focus on marketing and branding within the health care industry.

While the business aspect of medicine can bring benefits such as improved patient experience, access to care, and increased innovation, it also raises ethical concerns, such as balancing profit with patient welfare and avoiding conflicts of interest among health care providers.

In addition, with a focus on customer satisfaction, it is important to ensure that the needs of patients are not overshadowed by market forces.

Overall, medicine is both a business and a profession, and the two are closely intertwined.

However, it’s important to ensure that the business of medicine does not interfere with the primary goal of providing quality patient care and that the terms “patient” and “customer” or “client” are used appropriately.

The physician has a fiduciary duty to act in the patient’s best interest; the businessperson does not.

Jean Paul Brutus is a hand surgeon.

Prev

The hidden consequences of portal message fees

March 3, 2023 Kevin 3
…
Next

The power of a simple form: a doctor's experiment in building trust with patients

March 3, 2023 Kevin 3
…

Tagged as: Primary Care

Post navigation

< Previous Post
The hidden consequences of portal message fees
Next Post >
The power of a simple form: a doctor's experiment in building trust with patients

More by Jean Paul Brutus, MD

  • What causes fainting and how to prevent it during needle procedures

    Jean Paul Brutus, MD
  • The private health care debate in Canada: What’s the real issue?

    Jean Paul Brutus, MD
  • Ensuring universal access and quality care: the advantages of a mixed health care system in Canada

    Jean Paul Brutus, MD

Related Posts

  • How social media can help or hurt your health care career

    Health eCareers
  • To fix health care, ask patients to change their understanding of how a health care system should work

    Richard Young, MD
  • How our health care system traumatizes patients

    Linda Girgis, MD
  • Patients alone cannot combat high health care prices

    Peter Ubel, MD
  • Physicians and patients must work together to improve health care

    Michele Luckenbaugh
  • Doctors and patients should be wary of health care mega-mergers

    Linda Girgis, MD

More in Physician

  • Finding peace through surrender: a personal exploration

    Dympna Weil, MD
  • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

    Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH
  • Beyond the disease: the power of empathy in health care

    Nana Dadzie Ghansah, MD
  • How to overcome telemedicine’s biggest obstacles

    Harvey Castro, MD, MBA
  • The patient who became my soulmate

    Anonymous
  • Breaking the stigma: Addressing the struggles of physicians

    Jean Antonucci, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • Healing the damaged nurse-physician dynamic

      Angel J. Mena, MD and Ali Morin, MSN, RN | Policy
    • Lifestyle change: the forgotten solution in health care

      Tyler Petersen | Conditions
    • From physician to patient: one doctor’s journey to finding purpose after a devastating injury

      Stephanie Pearson, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the stigma: Addressing the struggles of physicians

      Jean Antonucci, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • The hidden dangers of the Nebraska Heartbeat Act

      Meghan Sheehan, MD | Policy
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • Why are doctors sued and politicians aren’t?

      Kellie Lease Stecher, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Contract Diagnostics is the only firm 100 percent dedicated to physician contract reviews

      Contract Diagnostics | Sponsored
    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • How medical student loan forgiveness can advance health equity [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The rise of generative AI in health care: Here’s what you need to know

      Anil Saldanha | Tech
    • Finding peace through surrender: a personal exploration

      Dympna Weil, MD | Physician
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

Leave a Comment

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • Heart Failure's Obesity Paradox Falls Apart on Further Inspection
  • Nobody Wants This Job. Should Physicians Stick Around?
  • Early Postpartum IUD Placement Yields Low Complete Expulsion Rate
  • Hydrocortisone Reduced Mortality in Patients With Severe Pneumonia
  • Obesity Tied to Density of Food Stores Carrying Less Healthy Options, Report Finds

Meeting Coverage

  • Trial of Novel TYK2 Inhibitor Hits Its Endpoint in Plaque Psoriasis
  • Durable Vitiligo Responses With Topical Ruxolitinib
  • High Rates of Psoriasis Clearance With Investigational TYK2 Inhibitor
  • Rapid Improvement in Atopic Dermatitis With Topical PDE4 Inhibitor
  • New Approaches in the Bladder-Sparing Paradigm
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • Healing the damaged nurse-physician dynamic

      Angel J. Mena, MD and Ali Morin, MSN, RN | Policy
    • Lifestyle change: the forgotten solution in health care

      Tyler Petersen | Conditions
    • From physician to patient: one doctor’s journey to finding purpose after a devastating injury

      Stephanie Pearson, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the stigma: Addressing the struggles of physicians

      Jean Antonucci, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • The hidden dangers of the Nebraska Heartbeat Act

      Meghan Sheehan, MD | Policy
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • Why are doctors sued and politicians aren’t?

      Kellie Lease Stecher, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Contract Diagnostics is the only firm 100 percent dedicated to physician contract reviews

      Contract Diagnostics | Sponsored
    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • How medical student loan forgiveness can advance health equity [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The rise of generative AI in health care: Here’s what you need to know

      Anil Saldanha | Tech
    • Finding peace through surrender: a personal exploration

      Dympna Weil, MD | Physician
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today iMedicalApps
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...