Consumers More Choosy About Cars and Appliances than Health Care
This is from the Altarum Institute Center for Consumer Choice in Health Care:
Fewer than one in three consumers reports doing detailed research before selecting a doctor, while almost 60% do so before buying a car. Twenty percent say that they do not spend much time comparing their options or gathering opinions when choosing a health plan or doctor.
How, exactly, does one do “detailed research” on a physician?
And please don’t start talking about websites that grade physicians according to the usual pay-for-performance nonsense metrics.
Plus, a car costs a lot more and is a longer term commitment than a simple doctor visit.
Rational ignorance, anyone?
Most people don’t know enough about medicine or the medical profession to know where to start when it comes to researching doctors.
People know cars, though. At least they think they know cars……Or they know someone who thinks they know cars……
People don’t shop for health care like they do consumer goods. I bet they also don’t shop for any kind of service like they do for goods.