Question 1

Mistakes and errors in medical practice, through neglect or ignorance, can sometimes be defended as:

Accepted Answer

B

Question 2

_______________ are composed of licensed physicians and osteopaths who determine if the services rendered are medically necessary, meet professional standards of quality, and are provided as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Accepted Answer

PSROs (Professional Standards Review Organizations) were established by the federal government in the 1970s to review the medical necessity, quality, and efficiency of services provided to Medicare and Medicaid patients. They are composed of licensed physicians and osteopaths who volunteer to serve on the PSRO board and determine if the services rendered meet professional standards. PSROs have since been replaced by similar organizations, but they were the precursor to today's quality improvement organizations (QIOs). DRGs (Diagnosis-Related Groups) and HMOs (Health Maintenance Organizations) are not composed of physicians and do not have the same role in determining medical necessity and quality of care. PPOs (Preferred Provider Organizations) and AMAs (American Medical Association) do not have this role at all.

Question 3

Millman contended that _______ errors, if they were made in "good faith," were less serious than _______

Accepted Answer

Millman argued that technical errors made in "good faith" are less serious than moral errors, suggesting that mistakes in procedure or technique are more forgivable than those that involve ethical wrongdoing.

Question 4

Which group may hold doctorates in their field?

Accepted Answer

All the professions listed, including nurses, physical therapists, pharmacists, and nutritionists, can pursue doctorate degrees in their respective fields, such as Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD), and Doctor of Clinical Nutrition (DCN) or similar.

Question 5

What situation has reduced public confidence in medicine more than any other single issue?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What situation has reduced public confidence in...

Question 6

What restricted the evaluation of work and discouraged the expression of criticism within physician circles?

Accepted Answer

Rules of etiquette within physician circles historically discouraged the expression of criticism and negative evaluation of fellow physicians. This concept of "professional courtesy" was deeply ingrained and viewed as essential to maintaining the unity and respect among physicians. It was only in recent years that a culture of open and honest evaluation and feedback has begun to emerge within the medical field.

Question 7

Millman contended that _______________ errors resulted in unfavorable letters of recommendation for those seeking jobs and social isolation from other physicians in the hospital.

Accepted Answer

Millman suggests that the errors made in letters of recommendation were moral in nature, indicating biases or unethical behavior on the part of the physicians writing the letters. This led to negative consequences for the individuals seeking employment and their relationships with other physicians in the hospital.

Question 8

Which is NOT an important feature of a positive relationship for patients with their physician?

Accepted Answer

Gender matching is not considered an important feature of a positive relationship between patients and their physician. It is more important for patients to have high levels of trust in their physician, feel satisfied with their care, and participate in decision-making about their treatment.

Question 9

Millman contended that a "gentlemen's agreement" existed among the hospital physicians. What did this agreement allow for?

Accepted Answer

Millman stated that there was a "gentlemen's agreement" among the hospital physicians that allowed them to overlook each other's mistakes.

Question 10

The "golden age" of doctoring was marked by:

Accepted Answer

The "golden age" of doctoring, which was the 1960s and 70s, was marked by escalating prices and overcharging, provider-structured insurance that paid for almost any mistakes, and a proliferation of unnecessary tests, hospitalizations, prescriptions, and surgical operations. This was a time when doctors had almost unlimited power and control over healthcare decisions, without much oversight or accountability.

Question 11

Etiquette was a more important _______________ than accountability in undermining attempts at critical evaluation of physicians by physicians.

Accepted Answer

Etiquette refers to the socially expected norms of behavior. In this context, the norms of behavior expected of physicians may have been more important than accountability, which refers to the obligation to explain or justify one's actions. Therefore, the best choice is C (Norm).

Question 12

Public dissatisfaction with the medical profession in the United States is generally viewed as having ______________ and ________________ origins.

Accepted Answer

Public dissatisfaction with the medical profession in the United States can be traced back to both economic and social factors. Economic factors include the rising costs of healthcare and insurance, while social factors include concerns about access to care, quality of care, and the influence of pharmaceutical companies on medical decision-making. While education and ethnicity may play roles in certain instances of dissatisfaction, they are not as significant or widespread as economic and social factors.

Question 13

Freidson argues that it can be ___________ that physicians are dedicated to their patients.

Accepted Answer

Freidson argues that physicians' dedication to their patients is a sociological assumption, meaning it is widely accepted and expected in society. Therefore, the best choice is "assumed."

Question 14

What is medicalization?

Accepted Answer

Medicalization refers to the process of labeling and treating normal human conditions and experiences as medical ailments or disorders. This can include things like shyness, sadness, or aging. It is not related to a student becoming a medical professional or non-medical professions becoming labeled as medical.

Question 15

__________________ considerations have become a primary motivation among physicians, hospitals, and private health insurance companies.

Accepted Answer

The sentence states that considerations related to economics have become the primary motivation for physicians, hospitals, and private health insurance companies. The other choices may also be important, but the sentence indicates that economic considerations are the most significant.

Question 16

______________were established in 1970 in conjunction with Medicaid and Medicare, to review and evaluate the medical care given to patients eligible to use these services.

Accepted Answer

PSROs (Professional Standards Review Organizations) were established in 1970 to review and evaluate the medical care given to patients eligible to use Medicaid and Medicare services. They were designed to ensure that healthcare providers were meeting certain standards of care and not over-utilizing resources. DRGs (Diagnosis-Related Groups) were also established in the same time period but are not directly related to the review and evaluation of medical care given to Medicaid and Medicare patients. HMOs and PPOs are types of healthcare insurance plans and the AMA (American Medical Association) is a professional organization for physicians.

Question 17

Medicalization is a form of ______________ action.

Accepted Answer

Medicalization is considered a form of collective action because it involves a societal process where issues not previously seen as medical problems are redefined in medical terms, often involving public and institutional responses.

Question 18

Millman contended that ________________ errors could be forgiven and often had the result of motivating the offending physician to work harder, spend more time with patients, double-check procedures, and learn from the mistake.

Accepted Answer

Millman contended that technical errors could be forgiven and often had the result of motivating the offending physician to work harder, spend more time with patients, double-check procedures, and learn from the mistake.

Question 19

A major defect in the professional autonomy argument arises from the fact that the autonomy granted to the medical profession is granted _____________, on the assumption that it will resolve significant issues in favor of the public interest.

Accepted Answer

The professional autonomy granted to the medical profession is conditional, meaning that it is granted with the expectation that medical professionals will act in the best interest of the public. This suggests that there are constraints on the degree of autonomy granted, and that medical professionals must be accountable for their actions.

Question 20

The decline in the status of physicians is largely due to greater:

Accepted Answer

The decline in the status of physicians is largely due to all of the above factors - greater government regulation, corporations in the healthcare market, and changes in the physician-patient relationship. Government regulation has increased the amount of paperwork and bureaucracy that physicians must deal with, taking away from the time they can spend with patients. Corporations buying up smaller practices and hospitals has led to physicians being viewed more as employees rather than respected professionals in their own right. Changes in the physician-patient relationship, such as a shift towards patient satisfaction scores, have also diminished the status of physicians as the final decision-makers in healthcare.

Quiz 11: The Physician in a Changing Society