Submerged discontent and patterns of accommodation: a case study of doctors' pay in two public hospitals in China: Chinese hospital doctors' discontent over pay

Cao, Xuebing

Abstract

The article evaluates submerged discontent among Chinese public hospital doctors (Note1) regarding their pay and patterns of accommodation, including doctors' responses through formal and informal actions in the context of health service marketization. On the basis of a case study of two public hospitals, the article illustrates the dynamical impact of marketization on Chinese doctors' pay-related dissatisfaction and health service employment relationship. Because of the authoritarian management and compliant trade unions, the conflict between doctors and hospitals is unable to be accommodated through collective methods. Instead, doctors' discontent is often channelled through informal, individual and subtle activities. Meanwhile, doctors' professional society is gradually influential, showing its potential of developing doctors' group identity and protecting members' interests in future. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Citation

Cao, X. (2014). Submerged discontent and patterns of accommodation: a case study of doctors' pay in two public hospitals in China: Chinese hospital doctors' discontent over pay. International Journal of Health Planning and Management, 29(2), 124-140. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpm.2196

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Jun 4, 2013
• Publication Date: 2014-04
• Deposit Date: Jun 2, 2023
• Journal: The International Journal of Health Planning and Management
• Print ISSN: 0749-6753
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 29
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 124-140
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/hpm.2196
• Keywords: Health Policy