Patients as consumers

" Here’s my question: How did it become normal, or for that matter even acceptable, to refer to medical patients as “consumers”? The relationship between patient and doctor used to be considered something special, almost sacred. Now politicians and supposed reformers talk about the act of receiving care as if it were no different from a commercial transaction, like buying a car — and their only complaint is that it isn’t commercial enough.

What has gone wrong with us?"

What people do not realise is that when patients start behaving as consumers, the doctors you deal with will stop behaving as trusted professionals and will start behaving as businessmen who will focus on their bottomline. When you are ill, you need a trusted advisor - and if you do not treat your doctor as a healer, he will not behave as one. What a shame that it's come to this !