Question

A physician accepts a new job and finds that for the first several months of work most of her effort is spent learning the mechanisms by which doctors, patients, insurance companies, and the government (at federal and local levels) interact to deliver and pay for care. She particularly notes that the influence by the hospital's legal department often supercedes that of other important administrators who hold MD's. Her experiences and observations most closely reflect what theory of sociology?

1) Functionalism
2) Conflict theory
3) Feminist theory
4) Symbolic interactionism

Answer 1

The physician's observations relate to Conflict Theory, which looks at power dynamics and competition among social groups within the hospital's healthcare system.

Step-by-step explanation:

The experiences and observations of the physician learning about the interactions between doctors, patients, insurance companies, and the government, particularly noting the legal department's influence over administrators with medical degrees, most closely reflect Conflict Theory. Conflict theory, which is rooted in Marxism, examines societal structures as the result of social groups competing for resources like wealth and influence. In the context of a hospital setting, this theory would suggest that power dynamics and competition among various actors - such as the administrative legal staff versus medical professionals - play a crucial role in shaping the healthcare delivery system.