Analysis of Hierarchy and Power in the Australian Healthcare System

This paper investigates the critical aspects of hierarchy and power in the Australian healthcare system, beginning with an explanation of relevant sociological models and theories. It examines the influence of social stratification, cultural traditions, and individual behaviors on healthcare access and outcomes, highlighting inequalities. The paper then discusses the biomedical model, its assumptions, and its impact on healthcare delivery in Australia. It further explores the concept of hierarchy and power, including its dimensions and implications for healthcare policy and medical practice. The Australian healthcare system, encompassing both public-private provision and selective-universal coverage, is analyzed, along with the implications of hierarchy and power within this system. The analysis covers the medical dominance, the roles of different stakeholders and how they impact the overall healthcare system. The paper concludes by highlighting the importance of understanding these dynamics for medical practitioners.

Running Head: Hierarchy and Power in Australian Healthcare System 1
Hierarchy and Power in Australian Healthcare System
Name
University Affiliation

Running Head: Hierarchy and Power in Australian Healthcare System 2
Introduction.
This paper will extrapolate on the vital facets of hierarchy and power that are necessary for the
Australian Healthcare system. It will begin with the explanation using the sociological models
and theories used while addressing the results of hierarchy and power in the Australian
healthcare system. The work will cover how it all affects me in my profession as a medical
practitioner. Before beginning understanding the deep meaning of the terms used in the paper
is critical. Sociology is defined as the study of how human beings relate and behave. Human
relations include but are not limited to cultural backgrounds, relationships, and different
sociological patterns (Meyer, & Ward, 2014). Hierarchy is how people are classified using their
economic or political status as a measure in society. Power is, therefore, being able to influence
what happens in a community or region.
Sociological Theories and Perspectives
Sociological aspects are throughout the study of human behavior. It is therefore essential to
understand them and how they relate to healthcare. For this, we need to know that people
have divided themselves into classes in the society by what is defined as social stratification.
Social stratification happens when the community has resources that are in equally distributed
among its people. The pivot of growth and development in any society relies on resource
allocation. Areas that do not have sufficient access to resources is therefore impaired
economically. It directly affects the access to proper and standardized healthcare. It is also
essential to understand the traditions and cultures that are embraced by every society all
around the world and how these cultures affect healthcare. Culture is brought about by
consistent behavior that is repeated over a long period. For example, traditions that still
circumcise their children using cultural methods. Some traditions in the Sahara advocate for
female genital mutilation as a rite of passage. It affects the woman during childbirth due to the
mutilated organs (King, Clarkson, & Wallace, 2010). Complications at birth may lead to the
death of both or either the mother and the infant. It is inequality in healthcare in that area, and
therefore some cultures should be used in assessing how to offer healthcare. Behaviors of
individuals living in urban towns and cities of not exercising also risks their healthcare. The

Running Head: Hierarchy and Power in Australian Healthcare System 3
embracing of junk food high in cholesterol instead of opting to cook and have a balanced diet is
a lifestyle choice that is not healthy.
Social stratification in health addresses the issue of physical health. Physical health entails the
physical aspects that affect healthcare which include the area of residence and housing of
different individuals. The less economic privileged individual is exposed to poor housing that
leaves them with bad physical health. Houses that have a weak structure whereby their roofing
or walls do not meet proper standards are dangerous. Young infants and pregnant mothers are
the most affected with them being exposed to cold. They may suffer from respiratory diseases
(Meyer, 2015). It also occurs to companies that do not offer protective dressing for their plant
operators exposing them to hazardous conditions. Those that have proper physical health are
those who have and can access better infrastructure like housing and also good hospitals. These
residents while likely have a higher rate of suffering from oral and lung cancer. They would,
therefore, need adequate and quality health care on these areas. Inequalities in healthcare due
to behaviors is highly dependable on the lifestyles embraced. It is essential for every individual
to exercise regularly to avoid being obese. Parents who have children should ensure that they
are under a balanced diet to avoid being malnourished.
The Biomedical Model.
A biomedical model can be explained as the process of using only biological procedures to offer
full recovery of a patient. This model is only limited to medical aspects of treatment. The
primary stakeholders in the concept are therefore those that are in the medical practice. They
include nurses, doctors, midwives, and nurses who are responsible for the full recovery of
patients. The model is rooted in specific aspects that help in understanding it. The first
assumption is that a human being when without poor disease illness is therefore in a healthy
state and thus a contradiction of this is a deformity. It explains that the body should not be
exposed to feelings of discomfort. For example, mild or severe headaches cause stress to the
body and should be addressed biologically. The second assumption is that it has its reliance
hugely on the theory of specific etiology (Prior, 2013). This theory explains that a cause if any

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disease is due to a particular identifiable agent. It is therefore crucial that we identify these
agents for us to treat. The third assumption is based on the studies of genetic diseases.
It proves that diseases such as those caused due to genetics are not caused by any other factors
apart from biological. It is therefore only possible to address them by applying a biological
approach. The stages and symptoms of these diseases do not change and require the same
processes for diagnosis. The fourth assumption is the scientific neutrality if medicine. This
assumption is an explanation to the way the science of medicine in itself is neutral and how it is
professionally practiced This assumption shows the scientific process that is not biased or
tampered with due to their scientific aspect. The history of the biomedical model shows that
after the first world war, medicine was necessary for full recovery. The 1940's period saw
governments and states embracing and providing resources. It has proved credible due to the
results that the model has produced. Consistent and evolving growth through research.
Research has brought discoveries in the medical field of how to deal with different medical
conditions.
The use of technology to make discoveries has led to the growth of the mode (Waring, Allen,
Braithwaite, & Sandall 2016). It is seen through the introduction of original and generic drugs
that are affordable and used by patients. The manufacturing of machines such those used in the
theatre and dialysis center has led to the growth in the field of medicine. In Australia, health
facilities can be seen around and all over the world. There have also been international
humanitarian health organizations like The Red Cross, Medicines San Frontiers which have
brought medical aid to areas that need urgent assistance. The United Nations has also invested
hugely in achieving universal healthcare. Medical students are being enrolled in universities and
colleges each year to pursue medicine and related courses and pass this from generation to
generation. Laboratories have been set up and equipped to provide tests to patients. These are
all aspects of the biomedical model. The approach has been beneficial for the studies of genetic
complexity. The third assumption is generic diseases. This assumption has its foundation on the
facts that generic diseases are not influenced by other factors such as historical or cultural. The
symptoms and the stages of these diseases remain constant. The assumption here is the

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scientific neutrality of medicine. Medical practitioners use this assumption due to the way they
see themselves as scientists and medicine as the science.
Hierarchy and Power in Healthcare
There are different definitions that describe hierarchy. However, the most practical definition is
the one given in the introduction of the paper. It is how societies classify authority. In every
state, politics is an essential factor in hierarchy and power. There is, therefore, a great
relationship between hierarchy and control. Power is seen as a determinant in a regime. It
means that the more power that an individual has, the higher the individual is classified in the
hierarchy. Individuals seek power due to the championing of their interests. The scarcity of
resources is what necessitated for the availability of hierarchy and power in any society.
Healthcare is a resource that is scarce especially in countries that are still underdeveloped. For
more understanding of how the operations of power are undertaken, we need to understand
its tenets. It has three dimensions (Collyer, et al. 2015). The first is where the conflict is open
and visible. It is seen in conflicted states that fight on a regular basis. The second is where the
battle has been covered. It happens when people do not get to know who or where the
decisions were made. This occurs when those who have been elected to represent their people
in political positions guard their interests while exposing those of others without necessarily
giving them any information of what is happening. It is mostly seen in parliament where bills
that award large tenders to corporations instead of allocating them to the locals is usually done.
It is considered as a society where the elites control the distribution of resources.
The third is the use of power to influence peoples' choices and preferences. It is mostly in
situations where those in power have specific interests, and they know that they will receive
backlash from the society. They, therefore, use things like the media either online or print to
influence and change people's tastes and choices. These dimensions of power highlight how
those in power are critical to matters of healthcare. Good healthcare is a result of proper
coordination between the government and medical practitioners. The government is required
to provide effective policies that help to alleviate the state of healthcare. These policies are

Running Head: Hierarchy and Power in Australian Healthcare System 6
made by lawmakers which is in the legislative arm of the government. It is then taken to
parliament and Senate for debate and enactment. At this point, those in power are expected to
evaluate and analyze the contents of such healthcare bills and how they affect their people. For
example, in the area of budgetary allocation. The committee of financial planning and budget
should be able to engage with medical practitioners and non-governmental organizations that
are in healthcare (Allen, Braithwaite, Sandall, & Waring 2016). They should not marginalize the
stakeholders and pass the bill to protect and enhance their interests. The budget for providing
scholarships for medical practitioners, providing better working conditions for those in medical
practice, fully equipping medical facilities, providing budgets for research and technological
advancements in medicine is essential. The medical dominance with regards to their level of
study is highlighted in this research. Doctors who are in positions of power are mandated to
make decisions that influence healthcare. In Australia, this is also experienced and those in
private practice set monetary standards for the services that they offer. Despite the
government having standardized fees for different illnesses this does not stop the private sector
from setting their own.
The Australian Healthcare System.
The Australian healthcare system has various components, and it is anchored on two critical
fundamentals which include the public-private provision and the selective-universal coverage.
Both work in tandem to achieve proper and better health care for Australians. The first which is
universal coverage is built on a more socialism perspective where the government is
responsible for the healthcare of its citizens in a collective manner. The government funds it
through the revenue it collects and allocates it to this scheme. The second is the private
provision which as its words explain it; it is more focused on the economic status of an
individual or corporate. It relies on the philosophy of economic liberty. It is whereby individuals
decide to have their private insurances whereby they choose to choose facilities to visit under
their private financing (Allen & Pilnick 2015). These two spectrums have defined the health care
system in Australia.
Implications of Hierarchy and Power to the Australian Healthcare System

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Hierarchy and power play different roles of the Australian healthcare system. They have their
positive roles and negative roles. The three tiers of government fund the Australian healthcare
system. The federal government is however responsible for a considerable slice of the funding
to the system. It is because it collects a lot of taxes from Australians and this is used in the
allocation of these funds to the Medicare insurance packages. It is charged differently according
to the amount of income that every Australian earns from their employer. Citizens that are paid
the necessary and average payments are taxed at 1.5 percent of their taxable income. The
Australian federal government is also responsible for other critical aspects of health in the
society. The local government is also responsible for the roles of prevention and the
environment. Funds used for insurance are allocated through insurance schemes especially in
the private sector. The local government also charges on insurance schemes such as those from
motor vehicles and medical facilities. Politicians have influenced the change in healthcare in
Australia. They amended the clauses between the years 2003-2004 where they decided to favor
the private sector. It meant that politicians aimed to ensure that there were better insurance
schemes for those that chose private healthcare (Payne & Leiter2013). Medicare was also
amended for it to favor privatization. When the coalition government came into power, it
influenced the change by ensuring that healthcare achieved a more socialist perspective. It was
based on the theory that Australians are financially diverse. Some can pay and choose for the
insurance packages that would suit and be economical while offering quality services. On the
other hand, there are Australians who are not in a position to afford for their healthcare. This
coalition government decides that each who could not pay for their insurance would have the
government fund it for them.
The Australian healthcare system has had its failure too. It has however been brought by the
difference of interests that has been seen by the three-tier governments. Each has different
financial capacity while they all have to make sure that the citizens get the services demanded
to the leaders. It has brought reforms in the Australian healthcare system. The National Health
and Hospitals Reform Commission was formed in 2009 to address the issues of the Australian
healthcare system (Mittal et al. 2014). This commission aimed to make sure that the universal
aspects that are encompassed in healthcare are highlighted. The topics discussed include the

Running Head: Hierarchy and Power in Australian Healthcare System 8
governance of healthcare facilities, provision of healthcare equipment and procurement of
medical supplies.
Conclusion
The paper has highlighted the importance of hierarchy and power in healthcare. It has shown
how power can be either constructive or destructive in attaining healthcare. In Australia, it is
important to note that Australians need to participate more in the improving of the insurance
scheme provided by the government. It means that they should be able to make follow-ups of
the healthcare committee decisions, the ministry of health and most important those that they
elect to hold office. These leaders are responsible for steering health care from its current
condition to a better one. Political figures in their mission for furthering their interests should
ensure that those of the health care system is not left out. Commendations for the solution to
the Australian healthcare system would include embracing equity to accessibility to every
citizen irrespective of their financial capabilities. The recommendations of the health reform
should be implemented to adhere to the universal healthcare principles.
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