The power of physicians: Autonomy and balance in a changing system

Recent profound and rapid changes in the health care system in the United States have affected every part of that system. No component has seen more stress than medicine, which is facing major dislocation on a variety of fronts. Some physicians believe that many of these changes are for the better; others fear that the worst that could happen has, in fact, occurred. This paper seeks to analyze the impact of health care change on the profession of medicine and to determine how physiciansʹ responses, in turn, will affect the rest of us