Abstract
Since the beginning of time magic, religion, medicine and social thought
blended into one. Even today , with the highly advanced technologies and techniques, mankind still
believes in the methods applied and procedures followed or prescribed by the medical practitioner.
This belief in the doctor is regarded as one of the main reasons why the utilisation patterns of
consumers and suppliers of services can often lead to overuse , misuse and
abuse.
The health care market is complex and differs from the ordinary market for goods and services . The
consumers of health care lack full information when decisions are made for them to acquire certain
procedures , operations, medicines or any other treatment. The doctor decides what the patient
should have or not have and the third-party is responsible for the account . It is therefore
essential and in the interests of the patient (the member of the medical scheme), the prescriber of
services (the doctor) and the supplier of services (the pharmacist) as well as the third-party
payer (the medical scheme) for all these services and goods that the items or services prescribed in the first place must be supplied and charged for. Free market principles must be allowed
in this highly sophisticated and competitive market where there are no other choices other than
that of demand and supply.
This is the basis of this study and also the main recommendation...
M.Com.