[WorldMaker]

I don't understand how health care "economists" can even imagine that Doctors are fungible commodities. Last I checked we're still using actual humans for the task, we haven't invented good, working medical droids just yet. From that perspective of course people aren't going to shop for a Doctor like they shop for a dishwasher: most people pick a general practitioner/family practitioner based upon their social culture. How many people's GP is an old friend or a family member? People develop attachments for their GPs. Their GPs are generally a part of their extended community. It's then their GPs that recommend their Specialists, typically through the GP's own social network/community... Shopping for a Doctor as if they were a dishwasher is a bit like trying to shop for a new pet or spouse on the Home Shopping Channel.