Professionalism Reconsidered: Physician Payment From A Health Plan Perspective
Allan Korn
Traditional fee-for-service health insurance rested on the assumptionthat doctors have primary responsibility for decisions aboutcare. Those who long for unrestrained autonomy in an environmentthat is characterized by "information overload" and that continuallydemonstrates lapses in safety and quality fail to grasp theimportance of physician and patient decision support systemsand the key role that a health plan may play in dealing withthese issues. The unbalanced allocation of resources betweenand among physician specialties is a contributing factor thatmust be addressed.