SOCIETAL BIAS

Health Care Quality Bias

[Writer's Name]

[Writer's Institution]

Health Care Quality Bias

Introduction

The relationship between a physician and their patient is defined by the quality of the relationship and the number of processes and outcomes of care, specifically including the patient's decision to remain with a particular physician, satisfaction with the care being received, adhering to the advice given, and the outcome of the care provided (Blair, et al., 2013, p. 43). In contrast to careers in which earning money is the primary goal, doctors are obliged to provide quality care to every member of society in need by their ethical code. However, this becomes an issue when this care is limited to the wealthy, and thus creates critics of concierge medicine which only caters to the elite (Sullivan, 2011, p. nd). Not only is this specialized service being provided to individuals of a certain ranking in society, there is an immense bias against individuals of certain ethnic minorities and gender.

These medical services for the rich have doctors available on call day or night, allowing wealthy individuals the opportunity to receive medical care in their own home with modeled equipment as sophisticated as that installed in the White House, and receive care while travelling outside of the country. These types of perks are enjoyed by executives and their families, and these individuals are paying tens of thousands of dollars on a yearly basis to receive this high-end medical care that is not covered by insurance. (Ody, 2012, p. nd).

Social inequality is not the only form of bias found within health care. Many individuals receive second class care due to their ethnic background and gender. These types of bias have created variations in the quality of care, and not only do they affect an individual's overall health, but also have detrimental effects on their life expectancy as well. The main characteristics that cause the biased care provided to these individuals are the social class, ethnicity, and gender bias. It is important to look at these disparities along with theories of these social models proposed by Marx and functionalist.

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Social/Occupational Class Bias

To understand this social bias, an example would be beneficial. Let's say there are two individuals, one a young gay male earning well in an inner city location and an older gay male of a non-English background living in a rural area on a pension. Both of these individuals are suffering from a similar disorder, diabetes. While there may be several similarities in their desired services and needs, it is highly likely that the social differences between the two men will have a significant impact on how and what type of service they receive (NSW Health, 2000, p. 4). This type of medical practice has been openly happening for several years. An article by the New York Times in 2011, described a situation, very similar to that above from seven years ago.

Dr. Steven L. Glazer, an internal medicine doctor in Connecticut informed his one thousand patients that he would no longer be their primary care ...