On the types of assessments concerning the effectiveness of medical procedures

Włodzimierz Galewicz

Titles

Abstract

The subject of this article is the assessment of the effectiveness of medical procedures or interventions. In its first part I compare the different meanings that the term effectiveness assumes in the context of assessing medical interventions, including the definition of the concept of consequential effectiveness, i.e. efficiency in achieving a certain objective of recognized value, distinguishing it from purely instrumental efficiency, i.e. effectiveness in achieving any goal, and from ‘cost-effectiveness’ or economic efficiency. Next, I discuss various directions of relativization that allow for, and largely assume, assessments of the effectiveness of medical interventions, primarily considering the purpose, which serves as their point of reference. In the third part, I emphasize the different character of assessments of the effectiveness of medical procedures depending on whether they relate to the final or only to the indirect purpose of a given procedure. Finally, I consider the validity of the popular opposition of effectiveness and efficiency, and egalitarian fairness or justice (equity) in relation to health care procedures.

Keywords

procedury medyczne, cele opieki zdrowotnej, korzyści zdrowotne, efektywność, stosowność, egalitarna równość

medical procedures, goals of healthcare, health benefits, effectiveness, efficiency, appropriateness, equity

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Information

Information: Public Health and Governance, 2017, Volume 15, Issue 4, pp. 317-324

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4467/20842627OZ.17.034.8288

Article type: Original article

Titles:

Polish:

On the types of assessments concerning the effectiveness of medical procedures

English:

On the types of assessments concerning the effectiveness of medical procedures

Authors

Włodzimierz Galewicz

Uniwersytet Jagielloński, Wydział Filozoficzny, Instytut Filozofii, Zakład Badań nad Etyką Zawodową

Published at: 28.03.2018

Article status: Open

Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Percentage share of authors:

Włodzimierz Galewicz (Author) - 100%

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English

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