Medical Dominance Is A Concept Within The Australian...

Medical dominance is a concept within the Australian health care system which majorly impacts general practitioners (GPs), through giving them power over the associated economics and business of health services. This is specifically exemplified in their role within the health care system under the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), wherein they act as the primary care service providers in Australia. With reference to the private sector, the position of power given to GPs is exemplified through their control over the client bases of other health professionals. This control generates both disadvantages and advantages for GPs. Disadvantages include the inevitable production of poor professional relationships within multidisciplinary teams, due†¦show more content†¦Their job is to aid clients in resolving their health issues, whether that be through direct care, or working in a multidisciplinary team, providing referrals to allied health professionals and specialists who can aid in preventative care or chronic disease management. Such referrals are the primary method in which AHPs and specialists are accessed. However, this is not the only form of medical dominance. McNeil et. al (2013) suggests that it can also be identified through differential treatment within the health care system, wherein the dominant group, namely medical practitioners, receive benefits such as promotions, better income, greater opportunities, and praise. This is largely due to the organisation of Australian hospitals wherein health professionals are positioned in a hierarchy based on their managerial and clinical qualifications (Willis, Reynolds, Keleher, 2012; Licqurish Seibold, 2013). Evidently, medical dominance spans through both the private and public sectors of the Australian health care system, effecting them both in their respective manners. However, a focus on the private sector will be discussed. Showcased through the MBS, medical dominance is exemplified through a GP’s capacity to control the client base of medical specialists and AHPs. This structure within the Australian health care system can be argued as disadvantageous for GPs, as it manufactures