McDonaldization Health in A Fastfood Society Essay Example For Students

McDonaldization: Health in A Fastfood Society Essay McDonaldization: Health in A Fastfood Society Essay McDonaldization, is the term Ritzer derived from the McDonalds fast food chain to describe the state of our society. Ritzer claims our social institutions have become completely dehumanized in the form of a bureaucracy. Health care is an example of one institution that is characterized by the four components of bureaucracy: efficiency, predictability, control and quantification. In the past, health care was more simplistic in nature. House calls were no unheard of, and doctors knew all of their patients and their families on a personal level. After waiting a while your number is called, you must give your health card number to the receptionist before continuing. You are then given a file number, which is your only identity for the time you spend within the hospital environment. After seeing the doctor you may come out with a few prescriptions which furthers your nameless ordeal. When you drop nameless ordeal. When you drop into a pharmacy to have a prescription filled the first thing they ask is if you know your prescription number. If you cannot remember it, your actual name is a secondary possibility as a means of identification. Before paying you may have to show your Blue Cross card number or other insurance cards as well, in all it is a very dehumanizing, impersonal process. Efficiency is another characteristic that is prominent in the hospital situation. To make sure things more smoothly you must call ahead and make an appointment with the receptionist. This appointment is to avoid long lines of people waiting to see the doctor. When making rounds a doctor goes from each examining room to another where patients are already waiting. After assessing one patient the doctor visits another one while the nurses bring another one into the empty room. Hospitals are also very time efficient. By having nurses make a preliminary examination (temperature, pulse rate, etc.) simple cases like the flu can be diagnosed without having to wait to see the busy doctor. This saves the patient from having to wait for a long time as well as giving the doctor more time to look at priority cases. Another area efficiency is necessary is at the pharmacy. By calling ahead to have a prescription filled long lines can be avoided, or in some places you can have them delivered to your home with little hassle. Predictability is a big characteristic. Everyone knows what happens when you go see a doctor. First you go to the receptionist to fill out the necessary papers and inform them you have arrived. You must then wait until a nurse comes into the waiting room and announces, The doctor will see you now. Most times this is not true, it really means I, the nurse will take your temperature, pulse rate, and blood pressure. Just like a robot the nurse will measure vital signs and note her findings with as little conversation as possible. .u1df419ef3b053aff206ca5931df22cd6 , .u1df419ef3b053aff206ca5931df22cd6 .postImageUrl , .u1df419ef3b053aff206ca5931df22cd6 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u1df419ef3b053aff206ca5931df22cd6 , .u1df419ef3b053aff206ca5931df22cd6:hover , .u1df419ef3b053aff206ca5931df22cd6:visited , .u1df419ef3b053aff206ca5931df22cd6:active { border:0!important; } .u1df419ef3b053aff206ca5931df22cd6 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u1df419ef3b053aff206ca5931df22cd6 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u1df419ef3b053aff206ca5931df22cd6:active , .u1df419ef3b053aff206ca5931df22cd6:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u1df419ef3b053aff206ca5931df22cd6 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u1df419ef3b053aff206ca5931df22cd6 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u1df419ef3b053aff206ca5931df22cd6 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u1df419ef3b053aff206ca5931df22cd6 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u1df419ef3b053aff206ca5931df22cd6:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u1df419ef3b053aff206ca5931df22cd6 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u1df419ef3b053aff206ca5931df22cd6 .u1df419ef3b053aff206ca5931df22cd6-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u1df419ef3b053aff206ca5931df22cd6:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Kant: Goodness Essay After the nurse leaves you must wait until the doctor comes in with the nurses recordings in her hand. The doctor then asks a variation of that same old question, What seems to be the problem today? You then proceed to list off all of your symptoms and wait for a diagnosis. The doctor either gives you a prescription or advice to stay in bed and drink lots of fluids. If it is necessary she may request further testing such as blood work or x-rays as she sees fit. If you need further treatment you basically go through the same routine on another day with different people. When prescriptions are required you get the prescription filled, pay a lot of money (unless you have a drug plan or additional medical coverage), and listen to the same warnings about finishing all of the prescriptions, side-affects, the dangers of interacting drugs and alcohol, and the instructions stickered .