论“就医者看病是否属于消费”

On whether patients are consumers

该文从经济学原理分析出发 ,医疗市场中存在着供需双方 ,医疗卫生服务的消费者就是病人和健康的就医者。医疗消费具有三个特殊性 ,医患双方的知识和信息不对称 ;医患双方处于主体与代理人的关系 ;医疗消费具有疾病和财务的风险性 ,因此患者在医疗消费时总是处于不平等的地位 ,其权益需要得到保护。医疗消费者的权益应包括治疗自主权、卫生服务提供者的选择权、人格尊重权、知情权、隐私权等健康权。作者认为医疗服务也应列入《消费者权益保护法》的范畴之内。

The paper is analyzed by economic theory. Medical market has both supply side and demand side. Consumers for searching medical and health services are patients and healthy people. Medical consumption has three characteristics: asymmetric knowledge and information, principal and agent relationship and risk of diseases and finance. Therefore, patients are in the place of unequal position, their sovereignties need to be protected. The health right of medical consumer includes autonomy of treatment, choice of providers, respect for dignity, confidentiality, promptness of care,etc. The author considers the medical services, as a part of consumption expenditure, should be included into the contents of Law for Consumer's Right Protection.