Demand for healthcare reform by public opinion and medical professionals: A comparative survey analysis

Abstract

To cope with rising healthcare costs, healthcare systems in advanced welfare states are undergoing quite significant changes including privatization and the introduction of private co-payments. This chapter argues that public opinion and doctors’ preferences are key to understand the reform potential of healthcare systems. It provides an empirical study of public and doctors’ satisfaction with the existing healthcare system in 11 countries (Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the Unites States). The study shows that doctors are less status quo oriented than the public. It seems that not medical professionals but rather the public is a potential veto player blocking reforms. The Netherlands and Britain are the countries with the lowest level of reform demand, possibly because they have experienced a long period of large-scale health reforms. The USA represents the other extreme with widespread reform demand.