MEDICAL ACT BETWEEN FUNDING AND PATIENT NEEDS – ANALYSIS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PHYSICIANS WITHIN THE CITY OF IAȘI

Authors

  • Mihaela RADOI * Post-doctoral fellow, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iasi, Romania, Senior lecturer, Department of Sociology and Social Work, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iasi, Romania
  • Adrian Lucian LUPU Post-doctoral fellow, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iasi, Romania, Senior lecturer, Department of Sociology and Social Work, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iasi, Romania
  • Daniela COJOCARU Professor, PhD, Department of Sociology and Social Work, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iasi, Romania

Keywords:

medical system, funding, training, specialization, private system, public system

Abstract

The necessity of empirical research in the field of medical services provision is highlighted both by the numerous modifications within the legislative framework (through which the medical system is organized and functions) and by the dysfunctionalities within its existence. The study proposes to identify those factors that may influence the quality of the medical act. The identified factors are present on the level of university training, of lifelong learning, of specializations and professional developments, on the level of the organization and functioning of the medical system. We also present the solutions identified by the physicians. The study is based on the analysis of 12 interviews conducted with physicians within public and private institutions in Iași. The topics of discussion were centred on the following aspects: medical system evaluation (comparison with European medical systems, but also between the public and the private system), relationships within the system (collaboration between institutions, collaboration with the family physician), work relationships, assessment of relationship system with/ between colleagues and professional recognition. This paper brings to attention the difficulties pointed out by physicians within the exercise of their profession, in their relationship with both institutions and patients. The main aspects pointed out are related to insufficient funding (reflected in the amount of equipments and drugs, in the infrastructure), to insufficient hospital staff, overstressing, university training and lifelong learning (that do not benefit from a unitary and integrating approach) and to the permanent change of the legislative framework that regulates the exercise of the medical profession.

References

Calnan, M.W. and Sanford, E. (2004). Public trust in health care: the system or the doctor? Quality and Safety in Health Care, 13, 92-97, doi: 10.1136/qsch.2003.009001.

Cojocaru, D., Sandu, A., Oprea, L. and Gavrilovici, C. (2013). Încrederea în relaţia medic-pacient. In Oprea, L., Gavrilovici, C., Vicol, C.M. and Astărăstoae, V. (Eds). Relaţia medic-pacient, pp. 95-120, Polirom, Iași

European Commission. Directorate-General for Communication (2014). Special Eurobarometer 411 Patient Safety and Quality of Care. DOI 10.2772/33467 http://ec.europa.eu/health/patient_safety/eurobarometers/ebs_411_en.htm

Gilbert, T.P. (2005). Impersonal trust and professional authority: exploring the dynamics. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 49, 568-577.

Hall M., Dugan E., Zheng B. and Mishra A. (2001). Trust in physicians and medical institutions: what is it, can it be measured and does it matter? The Milbank Quarterly, 79(4), 613-639.

Ionescu, I. (2014). The patients of family medicine cabinets. Analele Ştiinţifice Ale Universităţii „Alexandru Ioan Cuza”Din Iasi (Serie Nouă) Sociologie și Asistenţă Socială, VII(1), 32-55.

Institutul Român pentru Evaluare și Strategie (2014). După referendum. Efecte ale crizei politice. http://www.ires.com.ro/uploads/articole/raport-de-cercetare-ires---efecte-ale-crizei-politice.pdf

International Research Institutes, Global Health Survey. (2011). Experience and perception in 28 countries. http://www.irisnetwork.org/Publications%20Downloads/ BAN/BAN_IRIS_%20Global_%20Health_%20Survey.pdf

Kruk, M., Rockers, P.C., Varpilah S.T. and Macauley R. (2011). Which doctor?: Determinants of utilization of formal and informal health care in postconflict Liberia. Med Care. 49(6):585-91. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0b013e31820f0dd4,

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21422954

Law no.95/2006 on health reform, published in the Official Gazette of Romania, Part I, no. 372 of 28 April 2006, with subsequent amendments and completions

Lupu, A.L., Radoi, M. and Cojocaru, D. (2014). The Role of Acting Participants, Definitions, and the Determining Factors of Adherence to Treatment from Two Perspectives: The Biomedical Model and the Chronic Care Model. Postmodern Openings, 5(4), 75-88.

http://postmodernopenings.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/PO_December2014_6_ 75to88.pdf

Raportul Comisiei Prezidenţiale pentru analiza şielaborarea politicilor din domeniul sănătăţii publice din România (2008). Un sistem sanitar centrat pe nevoile cetăţeanului, Bucureşti, http://www.presidency.ro/static/ordine/COMISIASANATATE/UN_SISTEM_SANITAR_CENTRAT_PE_NEVOILE_CETATEANULUI.pdf

Russell, S. (2005). Treatment-seeking behavior in urban Sri Lanka: trusting the state, trusting private providers. Social Science and Medicine, 61, 1396 -1407.

Safran, D., Kosinski, M. and Tarlov, A.R. (1998). The Primary Care Assessment Survey: Tests of Data Quality and Measurement Performance. Medical Care, 36, 728–39.

Stan D., (2014). Health as an indicator of civilization. Analele Ştiinţifice ale Universi-tăţii „Alexandru Ioan Cuza” din Iași (Serie Nouă) Sociologie și Asistenţă Socială, VII(1), 5-19.

Şoitu, D. (2014). Being healthy means being educated and acting accordingly. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 142, 557-563.

Wang, M.C., Kim, S., Gonzalez, A.A., MacLeod, K.E. and Winkleby, M.A. (2007). Socioeconomic and food-related physical characteristics of the neighborhood environment are associated with body mass index. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 61, 491- 498.

Additional Files

Published

20-07-2015