Doctors Reform Society of Australia
			supporting health care reforms to ensure justice, equity and quality care for all
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Authors
Kevin White lectures in the sociology department of Australian National University.
Fran Collyer is at the Centre for Research in Public Sector Management at the University of canberra and also lectures in the sociology department at Australian national University.

According to those who subscribe to the doctrine of economic rationalism, the market, rather than the public sector, can provide better services, greater productivity, and increased efficiency in the delivery of health care.  However, an analysis of the behaviour of the private sector in the hospital industry indicates that firms show a variety of responses to market pressures.  Rather than increase efficiency, quality, or productivity, corporations may reduce or restrict services; shift costs onto other groups such as insurance companies and taxpayers; attempt to delay meeting costs; and enlarge their business by orchestrating demands for their services.  Using evidence from the USA, UK, and Australian hospital sectors this paper disputes claims for the greater efficiency of the private sector and examines the implications of private investment in the hospital market for health care services, equity and access.

Health care services have previously been protected from market forces for a number of reasons.  First,............

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			This page was last updated on 10th February, 2003.
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