THE ROLE OF MEDICAL CARE IN A CHANGING SOCIAL SYSTEM.

The article discusses the role of medical care in a changing social system. The concern about the rising cost of medical care and the growing importance of that care makes it necessary to examine the role medical care plays in a complex society. The apparent cause of increasing medical expenses is linked to the increasing demand of better care by the people for their personal well-being. There are a number of forces operating together as medical care costs increase. First, there is the general level of advancement and complexity of the social system itself. Heart lung machines, renal dialysis, and pacemakers are artifacts of highly developed technologies. Advanced technology is the necessary cause of an effective medical care system. At the same time, the increasing complexity of the social system provides the sufficient cause for an increased allocation of resources to medical care. As societies become more complex, they devote a greater proportion of their resources to medical care, but the medical care of all members of a society is not affected equally.