This article contrasts the prevailing model for assessing and improving medical care - the quality of care paradigm - with an alternative approach - the patient accountability paradigm. The first approach is technocratic: it measures and promotes the quality of medical care through technical and...

The author examines the potential role for the public and, more specifically, for plan participants, in making managed care organizations (MCOs) respond to their wishes by means other than market exit. Market exit, or simply choosing an alternative means of procuring healthcare, is not an option...

This article analyzes the concept of accountability and the role that managed care organizations play in promoting accountable health care. It examines the challenges to promoting accountable health care by analyzing conflicting goals within managed care and the conflicting interests of various...