McDonaldization, is the term Ritzer derived from the McDonalds' fast
food chain to describe the state of our society. Ritzer claims our social
institutions have become completely dehumanized in the form of a bureaucracy.
Health care is an example of one institution that is characterized by the four
components of bureaucracy: efficiency, predictability, control and
quantification.
In the past, health care was more simplistic in nature. House calls
were no unheard of, and doctors knew all of their patients and their families on
a personal level. The doctor who delivered your parents would deliver you as
well as your future children. Follow-ups were quite normal; doctors were
concerned with your progress for their own peace of mind.
Over time the modern health care system emerged into the bureaucratic
organization that it is. All the characteristics depicted by Ritzer are easily
seen when one examines health care. From a normal trip to the doctor for a
routine check-up or even a specific ailment to rush trip in the emergency room
predictability, control, efficiency, and quantification are obvious.
Quantification is easily seen when you first step into a hospital
waiting room and a huge sign tells you a number before you are even able to
speak to anyone. After waiting a while your number is called, you must give
your health card number to the receptionist before continuing. You are then
given a file number, which is your only identity for the time you spend within
the hospital environment. After seeing the doctor you may come out with a few
prescriptions which furthers your nameless ordeal. When you drop nameless
ordeal. When you drop into a pharmacy to have a prescription filled the first
thing they ask is if you know your prescription number. If you cannot remember
it, your actual name is a secondary possibility as a means of identification.
Before paying you may have to show your Blue Cross card number or other
insurance cards as well, in all it is a very dehumanizing, impersonal process.
Efficiency is another characteristic that is prominent in the hospital
situation. To make sure things more smoothly you must call ahead and make an
appointment with the receptionist. This appointment is to avoid long lines of
people waiting to see the doctor. When making rounds a doctor goes from each
examining room to another where patients are already waiting. After assessing
one patient the doctor visits another one while the nurses bring another one
into the empty room.
Hospitals are also very time efficient. By having nurses make a
preliminary examination (temperature, pulse rate, etc.) simple cases like the
flu can be diagnosed without having to wait to see the busy doctor. This saves
the patient from having to wait for a long time as well as giving the doctor
more time to look at priority cases.
Another area efficiency is necessary is at the pharmacy. By calling
ahead to have a prescription filled long lines can be avoided, or in some places
you can have them delivered to your home with little hassle.
Predictability is a big characteristic. Everyone knows what happens
when you go see a doctor. First you go to the receptionist to fill out the
necessary papers and inform them you have arrived. You must then wait until a
nurse comes into the waiting room and announces, "The doctor will see you now".
Most times this is not true, it really means I, the nurse will take your
temperature, pulse rate, and blood pressure.
Just like a robot the nurse will measure vital signs and note her
findings with as little conversation as possible. After the nurse leaves you
must wait until the doctor comes in with the nurse's recordings in her hand.
The doctor then asks a variation of that same old question, "What seems to be
the problem today?"
You ...