Licensing of Physicians

  • Lorenz Götte
  • Klaus Hammes
Chapter
Part of the Developments in Health Economics and Public Policy book series (HEPP, volume 7)

Abstract

Licensing of physicians plays a key role in the health care sector. It determines the long-run quantity and quality of medical services supplied, i.e. it influences the availability of general practitioners and cardiovascular surgery to the public. A first look at Sweden and Switzerland suggests that the two countries found different ways to deal with this issue. Sweden is characterised by relatively high barriers to enter a medical school, but by a high share of specialists among physicians. Conversely, in Switzerland, access to medical schools is granted in general. However, a smaller fraction of physicians get specialist education, reflecting a stiffer policy regime against specialisation.

Keywords

Medical School Human Capital Medical Association Median Voter Restricted Access 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Becker, G. (1962). Investment in human capital: a theoretical analysis, Journal of Political Economy 70, 9–49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  2. Benham, L. (1992). Licensure and Competition, in: Frech, H.E (ed.), Health Politics.Google Scholar
  3. Benham, L., and A. Benham (1975). Regulating through the Professions: A perspective on information control, Journal of Law and Economics, 421-447.Google Scholar
  4. Blomquist, A. (1992), The Swedish Health Care System — an Economist’s view, Health Policy 21, 113–128.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  5. Bohnet, I., and B.S. Frey (1995). Direct Democratic Rules: The Role of Discussion, Kyklos 47, 341–354.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  6. Burström, K., and R. Gisin (1998) Price Setting for Doctors, this volume.Google Scholar
  7. Danzon, P.M. (1994). The Swedish patient compensation system: Myths and realities, International Review of Law and Economics 14, 453–466.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  8. Eichenberger, R., and A. Serna (1996). Random Errors, Dirty Information and Politics, forthcoming Public Choice.Google Scholar
  9. Fershtman, C., and Y. Weiss (1993). Social status and economic performance, The Economic Journal 103, 946–959.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  10. Frank, R. H. (1985). Choosing the Right Pond, Cambridge University Press: Boston.Google Scholar
  11. Frank, R.H. (1995). The Winner-Takes-All Society, Cambridge University Press: Boston.Google Scholar
  12. Frey, B.S. (1994). Direct Democracy: Politico-Economic Lessons from the Swiss Experience, American Economic Review 84, Papers and Proceedings, 383–443.Google Scholar
  13. Frey, B.S., and R. Eichenberger (1995). The Fifth Freedom, European Journal of Political Economy.Google Scholar
  14. Gullan L. (1996). Regeringen håller på att avliva den privata vården (Government about to kill private health care), Svenska Dagbladet 7.3.1996, 4.Google Scholar
  15. Hasler, N. (1993). Einkommensverhältnisse der freien Aerzteschaft der Schweiz (physicians’ incomes in Switzerland), report to the Swiss Medical Association, Zürich.Google Scholar
  16. Hurley, J. (1991). Physicians’ Choices of Specialty, Location, and Mode, The Journal of Human Resources 26, 45–57.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  17. Immergut, E. (1992). Health Politics, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.Google Scholar
  18. Läkartidningen (Journal of the Swedish Medical Association), 5/1996, Specialistbrist hotar (Lack of specialists threatening), 313.Google Scholar
  19. Läkartidnning (13/1996), Antalet ST-Tjänster för litet för att möta pensionspuckeln (To few internships for specialist to match retirements), 1182.Google Scholar
  20. Landstingsförbundet (1996). Lönestatistik (Wage statistics), Stockholm.Google Scholar
  21. Landstingsvärlden, (12/1995), Kraftigt beskuren utbildning av allmänläkare (Strongly reduced education of general practitioneers), 9.Google Scholar
  22. Landstingsvärleden, (21/1996), Läkare med ifrågasatt legitimation sparkad sparkad (Physician with questioned license fired), 9.Google Scholar
  23. Lee, C.S. (1995). Optimal medical treatment under asymmetric information, Journal of Health Economics 15, 419–441.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  24. Lentz, B.F., and L.N. David (1988). Why so many children of doctors become doctors, The Journal of Human Resources 18, 396–413.Google Scholar
  25. Mueller, D.C. (1989). Public Choice II, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge MA.Google Scholar
  26. Samnordisk Arbetsgrupp för Prognos-och utbildningsfragor (Joint Nordic Workgroup for Prospective and Educational Questions) (1990). Den framtida läkararbetsmarknaden i Norden (The future of the labor market for physicians in Scandinavia).Google Scholar
  27. SCB (Statistics Sweden) (1993). Löner och sysselsättning inom offentlig sektor del 2 kommunal personal (Wages and employment within the public sector, part two municipal employees), Stockholm.Google Scholar
  28. SCB (1994). Universitet och Högskolor, Grundutbildning: Genomströmning. Resultat t.o.m. 1993/94 inclusive (Higher education, Basic Education: Flow through. Results up to 1993/94 inclusive), Örebro.Google Scholar
  29. SCB (1995a). Hälso-och sjukvårdsstatistisk årsbok 1995 (Yearbook of Health and Medical Care 1995), Stockholm.Google Scholar
  30. SCB (1995b). Inkomst för högskoleutbildade-Jämförelse mellan 1970 och 1990 (Development of incomes for university graduates between 1970 and 1990), Stockholm.Google Scholar
  31. SCB (1995c). Statistiska meddelanden, Universitet och högskolor (Statistical information, higher education), Örebro.Google Scholar
  32. SCB (1996a). Statistiska årsboken 1996 (Statistical Yearbook 1996), Stockholm.Google Scholar
  33. SCB (1996b). Gymnasieungdomars interesse för högre studier, Enkätundersökning hösten 1995 (Plans for higher education autumn 1995), Örebro.Google Scholar
  34. Shapiro, C. (1986). Investment, Moral hazard, and Occupational Licensing, Review of Economic Studies LIII, 843–862.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  35. Shortell, S.M. (1974). Occupational prestige differences within the medical and allied health professions, Social Science and Medicine 8, 1032–1038.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  36. Sloan, F.A. (1970). Lifetime earnings and physicians’ choice of specialty, Industrial and Labor Relations Review 24, 47–56.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  37. SOU (1991:63). Tillsynen över hälso-och sjukvården (Supervision of health-and medical care), Slutbetänkandet av tillsynsutredningen, Socialdepartementet, Allmäna Förlaget, Stockholm.Google Scholar
  38. SOU (1992:1). Frihet Ansvar Kompetens (Freedom Responsibility and Competence) Betänkandet av högskoleutredningen, Utbildningsdepartmentet, Allmäna Förlaget, Stockholm.Google Scholar
  39. SOU (1994:126). Husläkarreformens första halvår (Family doctor reform, the first six month), Delbetänkande av Husläkardelegationen, Socialdepartementet, Allmäna Förlaget Stockholm.Google Scholar
  40. SOU (1995:5). Vårdens svåra val (Hard choice for health care), Slutbetänkandet av Prioriteringsutredning, Socialdepartementet, Alimäna Förlaget Stockholm.Google Scholar
  41. SOU (1995:71). Behörighet och Urval (Competence and selection), Delbetänkande av Utredningen om uppföljning av 1993 års universitets-och högskolereform (RUT-93), Utbildningsdepartmentet, Allmäna Förlaget Stockholm.Google Scholar
  42. SOU (1996:21). Reform och förändring (Reform and change), utbildningsdepartement, Allmäna Förlaget Stockholm.Google Scholar
  43. Svanfeldt, G. (1994). Higher education in Sweden, in: Goedengebuure, L., et al. (eds.), Higher education policy — An international comparative perspective, Pergamon Press: Oxford, New York, Seoul, Tokyo.Google Scholar
  44. Svenska Dagbladet, 20/03–1996, Få anmälda läkare blir varnade (Few reported physicians get a warning), Inrikes, 9.Google Scholar
  45. Svenska Dagbladet, 4/4–1996, Sjukvård — Tematidning om mannens hälsa (Health care — Supplement on male health).Google Scholar
  46. Verket för Högskoleservice (1995). Den samordnade antagningen till utbildningar vid universitet och högskolor, Antagningen Hösttermin 1995 (The coordinated admission to higher education, admission 1995/96), VHS SKRIFTSERIE 1995:4.Google Scholar
  47. Wedman, I. (1992). Selection to higher education in Sweden, paper presented at the 18th annual conference admission to higher education September 14–18, 1992, International Association for Educational assessment, The educational Research centre St. Patrick’s college, Dublin9, Ireland.Google Scholar
  48. Zweifel, P. (1992). Comment on Benham, in: Frech, H.E. (ed.), Health Policy.Google Scholar
  49. Zweifel, P., and R. Eichenberger (1992). The political economy of corporatism in medicine, Journal of Regulatory Economics 4(1), 89–108.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  50. Zweifel, P., and F. Breyer (1997), Health Economics, Oxford University Press: New York.Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 1998

Authors and Affiliations

  • Lorenz Götte
  • Klaus Hammes

There are no affiliations available

Personalised recommendations