An Exploration of the Contemporary U.S. Academic Physician Experience with the Formal Rationalization of Health Care

In recent years, the U.S. health care system has undergone significant changes due to the formal rationalization processes, which include increased bureaucratic oversight, standardization of practices, and emphasis on cost-efficiency. These changes are driven by policy shifts aimed at improving health care delivery and reducing costs. However, they have also led to increased administrative burdens on physicians, potentially affecting the quality of patient care. Academic physicians, who balance clinical duties with teaching and research, face unique challenges in this environment. The pressure to adhere to standardized protocols and documentation requirements can detract from their ability to engage in meaningful patient interactions and innovative research. Prior research has highlighted the tension between administrative demands and clinical autonomy, but there is limited understanding of how these dynamics specifically affect academic physicians.

The specific research challenge lies in understanding how the formal rationalization of health care affects the professional identity and daily practices of academic physicians. While there is extensive literature on the impact of health care reforms on clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction, less attention has been paid to the subjective experiences of physicians themselves. This study aims to fill this gap by exploring how academic physicians perceive and navigate the bureaucratic structures that increasingly define their work environment.