Covenants and Contracts in Healthcare

Heath care is a complex subject, many facets, many perspectives, and a network of interlocking systems. Since people are a key component of the many systems involved, we do need to take into account behavior and decisions.

Gene Veith points us to an administrator who thinks the Hippocratic Oath interferes with the desirable goal of managed health care.

This is an example where the mentality shift from covenant (which is relationship-based) to contract (which defaults to what’s-in-it-for-me) will destroy people. I’m reminded of the famous quote that a government large enough to give you everything is large enough to take everything away.

We will not reform Babylon by human efforts. (See Jeremiah chapter 29)

My counsel is to pay attention to situations where covenants have historically operated, and others want to switch to contracts. Under covenants, people go above and beyond. They pour themselves out. There's passion, and compassion. Under contracts, observation makes it clear that people live up to the letter of the law, but no more -- and often grudgingly or bitterly.