The Rise of the Consucrat.

Evelyne De Leeuw

doi:10.34172/ijhpm.2020.36

Abstract

Some agents representing the ‘receiving end’ of the medical-industrial complex could be called ‘career consumers.’ We identify these consucrats as a new class of intersectional representation of ‘those affected’ in healthcare delivery systems. We describe them in the context of (similar) abocrats and femocrats but show that consucrats face more complex and different level intersectional challenges. The designation, professionalization, and representation of consucrats are problematic, in particular for public policy change. We argue for an enhanced strategic and cautious role for the consumer health movement to support consucrats.

Highlights

The Rhetoric of Consumer Representation A strongly held belief that consumers need to be represented in health decision-making has become pervasive ever since the silent revolutions of the post-World War II era
An exceedingly clinical focus on a particular disease category stands in the way of efforts that would focus on a health policy that addresses the ‘upstream,’ ‘distal,’ political, social and commercial causes of the causes of ill health in populations
Consumer health advocates become complicit in extenuating the perverse effects of the medical-industrial complex

Summary

Introduction

The Rhetoric of Consumer Representation A strongly held belief that consumers need to be represented in health decision-making has become pervasive ever since the silent revolutions of the post-World War II era. These representatives are designated as individuals, the literature increasingly demands community consumer voices.[4] It appears that only occasionally systems and public policy views (eg, institutional design or finance parameters) are considered.

Results

Conclusion