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The Price of Health

  • Book
  • © 1986

Overview

Editors:
  1. George J. Agich

    1. School of Medicine, Southern Illinois University, Springfield, USA

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    You can also search for this editor in PubMed   Google Scholar

  2. Charles E. Begley

    1. School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, USA

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    You can also search for this editor in PubMed   Google Scholar

Part of the book series: Philosophy and Medicine (PHME, volume 21)

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Table of contents (15 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xxx
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  2. Medical Economics and Ethics: Some Theoretical Considerations

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
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    2. Economics and the Allocation of Resources to Improve Health

      • Marc J. Roberts
      Pages 3-22

    3. Economic Cost and Moral Value

      • George J. Agich
      Pages 23-42

  3. Costs and Benefits in Medicine: Some Philosophical Views

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 43-43
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    2. Computing the Quality of Life

      • E. Haavi Morreim
      Pages 45-69

    3. CBA, Utilitarianism, and Reliance upon Intuitions

      • Peter S. Wenz
      Pages 71-89

    4. Prior Consent and Valuing Life

      • Paul T. Menzel
      Pages 91-111

    5. Cost-Benefit Analysis, Monetary Value, and Medical Decision

      • Robert Audi
      Pages 113-131

  4. Economics and Ethics in Health Policy

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 133-133
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    2. Intervention Against Genetic Disease: Economic and Ethical Considerations

      • J. Michael Swint, Michael M. Kaback
      Pages 135-156

    3. Ethical Reflections in Genetic Screening: A Reply to Swint and Kaback

      • Stuart F. Spicker
      Pages 157-164

    4. Rationing Medical Care: Processes for Defining Adequacy

      • Mary Ann Baily
      Pages 165-184

    5. Comments on “Rationing Medical Care: Processes for Defining Adequacy”

      • David D. Friedman
      Pages 185-197

    6. Rationing and Publicity

      • Gerald R. Winslow
      Pages 199-215

    7. Comments on “Rationing and Publicity”

      • David D. Friedman
      Pages 217-224

  5. Controlling Costs/Maximizing Profit: The Role of Providers

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 225-225
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    2. Physicians and Cost Control

      • Charles E. Begley
      Pages 227-244

    3. Shifting Priorities and Values: A Challenge to the Hospital’s Mission

      • Marc D. Hiller, Robin D. Gorsky
      Pages 245-261

    4. Shifting the Priorities and Values: A Commentary on Hiller and Gorsky

      • Lu Ann Aday
      Pages 263-272
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Keywords

About this book

Medicine, morals and money have, for centuries, lived in uneasy cohabitation. Dwelling in the social institution of care of the sick, each needs the other, yet each is embarrassed to admit the other's presence. Morality, in particular, suffers embarrassment, for it is often required to explain how money and medicine are not inimical. Throughout the history of Western medicine, morality's explanations have been con­ sistently ambiguous. Pla.o held that the physician must cultivate the art of getting paid as well as the art of healing, for even if the goal of medicine is healing and not making money, the self-interest of the craftsman is satisfied thereby [4]. Centuries later, a medieval medical moralist, Henri de Mandeville, said: "The chief object of the patient ... is to get cured ... the object of the surgeon, on the other hand, is to obtain his money ... ([5], p. 16). This incompatibility, while general, is not universal. Throughout history, medical practitioners have resolved the problem - either in conscience or to their satisfaction. Some physicians have been so reluctant to make a profit from the ills of those whom they treated that they preferred to live in poverty. Samuel Johnson described his friend, Dr. Robert Levet, a Practiser of Physic: No summons mock'd by chill delay, No petty gain disdain'd by pride; The modest wants of ev'ry day The toil of ev'ry day supplied [3].

Editors and Affiliations

  • School of Medicine, Southern Illinois University, Springfield, USA

    George J. Agich

  • School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, USA

    Charles E. Begley

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: The Price of Health

  • Editors: George J. Agich, Charles E. Begley

  • Series Title: Philosophy and Medicine

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4704-7

  • Publisher: Springer Dordrecht

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

  • Copyright Information: D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, Holland 1986

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-90-277-2285-0Published: 30 November 1986

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-94-010-8592-2Published: 22 November 2011

  • eBook ISBN: 978-94-009-4704-7Published: 06 December 2012

  • Series ISSN: 0376-7418

  • Series E-ISSN: 2215-0080

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XXX, 280

  • Topics: Philosophy of Medicine, Public Economics, Public Health, Theory of Medicine/Bioethics

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