Perceptions of medical practitioners towards managed healthcare

• Main Author: Khosi, Lefume Samuel
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: Health care reform; Health care - Management; Managed care plans - Social aspects; Medical economics
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/10497

M.Com. (Business Management) === The purpose of the present study was to investigate the perceptions of medical practitioners towards managed health care and its implications for patient care. The study population was the medical practitioners in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg. A questionnaire was distributed to 224 medical practitioners in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg. The total number of the respondents was 81 with 53% being general practitioners and 47% being specialists. The findings of the study indicated that the majority of respondents perceived managed healthcare to have a negative impact on doctor-patient relationship, the ability to carry out their ethical obligations towards the patients, and that the limitations implemented by managed health care have a negative impact on the quality of care. The respondents also perceived managed healthcare to be consistent in reducing unnecessary procedures and reducing the expenditure. Recommendations made to remedy the situation include introducing a topic of managed health care as part of undergraduate studies to empower practitioners before they start a private practice. It would be advisable to include medical practitioners to help reform the strategies that will enable medical practitioners to carry out their ethical obligations towards the patients and to deliver quality care to the patients. The study concluded that medical practitioners hold negative perceptions towards managed health care and perceive managed health care to impact the quality of care negatively.