D:And how do you buy advice
S:The old fashioned way - through an act of faith. You believe that your doctor actually earned his professional credentials, and didn't buy them in the black market... that the studies which evaluated the effectiveness and safety of your medication were well designed, and not faked... etc., etc.
EXACTLY! So the informed consumer just has to ensure, that everything is checked, instructed, taught etc. by somebody who would NOT increase his turnover if people increase their need for healthcare. A student-paid doctor's university and all graduates from it would be immediately disqualified here, as well as hospitals, practicing doctors, medication-producers etc.
This is what defines a "professional" versus a "tradesman". The true professions -- medicine, legal, accounting, a few others -- are defined by the fact that consumer is not well-positioned to judge the value or quality of the services received, and thus have to operate on the faith that he has chosen the professional service provider wisely. And by the fact that ultimately, we rely on the professional's judgment in place of our own.
If I hire a contractor to build an addition to my house, I can watch him and know that I made a mistake or didn't, and I make the decisions, ultimately. If I choose the wrong lawyer, I rely on HIS judgment to keep me out of jail. Or whatever.
When I go to the doctor there will always have to be trust or I'm wasting my money. I'm having a slight problem about which I'm visiting my doctor today. I've ready all about it on the Internet and think I know what's up and all that, but ultimately, HE'LL make that determination because I'm incompetent to do so.
It is fine for me do my homework but when I leave my doctors office I have confidence I know the score. I don't have that going in. |
