The Health Care Contract: A Model for Sharing Responsibility

This article summarizes the scientific assumptions of medicine and holistic practice as a basis for clarifying the professional responsibilities of health practitioners. The basic elements of contracting are then applied 10 the dy- namics of clinical relationships, creating a mutually de-

fined plan as framework for allocating responsibility among doctors, patients, holistic practitioners and clients. The legal aspects of health contracts are discussed and il is suggested haw contract principles may be tools for sharing responsibility.

• Haw does one define one’s roles and responsibilities in health’ care? .

• What can health professionals and individuals do to share responsibility for making their relationship work? • Haw can health care relationships be created which

satisfy both’practitioners’ and clients’ inlerestsand needs?
• Haw does one sort out the many different services being

offered by health. practitioners?