A doctor need not learn a great deal of economics in order to understand some of the basic ideas of health economics. What is more important than any particular piece of knowledge is to understand how economists think, particularly how and why they think about markets. Health economics emphasizes some market failures which lead to poor health outcomes or high costs or both, and it concentrates especially on issues of how health care is paid for - the sources of funding, the pooling of those funds to provide protection from financial risk, and their use to purchase goods and services. Better understanding between economists and health professionals can reduce incomprehension and antagonism, and offer opportunities for more efficient and equitable health systems.
Health economics; Physicians; Knowledge; attitudes; practice