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Re-Evaluating Professional Autonomy in Health Care

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Abstract

Professional autonomy, as the symbol of the traditional freedom ofdecision-making of medical professionals is criticized. This essayexamines the critique. It analyses the underlying assumption that theautonomy of health professionals is incompatible with the need fororganisation and management in order to control rising health carecosts. It is argued that the concept of professional autonomy should beredefined, not through restricting the decision-making freedom ofindividual health professionals, but through expanding the concept intothe sphere of management, so that managers will take responsibility forpatient care.

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  1. Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Henk Ten Have

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  1. Henk Ten Have
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Ten Have, H. Re-Evaluating Professional Autonomy in Health Care. Theor Med Bioeth 21, 503–513 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009933624853

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