Purpose -Consumer-driven health care (CDHC) has been proposed to reduce the USA health care costs through greater free market economic exposure. The purpose of this paper is to review the USA health care system, insurance plans, and CDHC plan elements and assumptions regarding patients, service providers, and insurers, in order to identify research and social marketing needs of CDHC. Design/methodology/approach -The paper is an assessment of literature from academic and practitioner communities. Findings -Social marketing programs can contribute to preparing consumers and practitioners for CDHC. However, the degree to which CDHC can reduce health care costs is uncertain. More research is needed comparing CDHC plans with traditional plans and comparing CDHC enrollees with enrollees in other types of plans to determine the true benefits and costs of CDHC and to identify consumers' information needs. Research is needed into how to gather and provide understandable health care provider quality and cost-effectiveness information, and into how current insurers can help consumers make effective CDHC decisions. Research is needed as to how CDHC is perceived by consumers, providers, and insurers, and the use of CDHC reimbursement accounts and their effect on behavior and costs. Research is also needed into which decisions can be made by consumers without specialized professional knowledge. Provider research is needed into outcome risk adjustments, how practitioners view CDHC, how willing practitioners are to participate in a more open-free market, and how CDHC may affect professional practices. Originality/value -Insights gained from this paper can contribute to social marketing program designs needed for practitioner and consumer acceptance and effective use of CDHC.

PurposeTaking a broad review of the management and economics literature, the purpose of this paper is to examine how the recent “Great Recession” has had a disproportionate adverse impact on US labor markets and created social disruptions to professional workers experiencing persistent unemployment or underemployment.Design/methodology/approachSecondary data analysis shows how the recent recession has had a disproportionate impact on employment. Recognizing underemployment as a potentially persistent state, the authors delineate the extent and consequences of underemployment.FindingsAnalyses of unemployment and underemployment resulting from the recent recession suggest it has had a particularly severe detrimental impact on worker benefits, incomes and employment prospects for most US workers.Research limitations/implicationsSecondary data analysis is a major limitation but results justify a call for further research into the potential increase in the long‐term economic displacement of professional workers.Originality/valueThis paper is unique in applying economic and management constructs in an analysis of the origins, consequences and recommendations for decreasing the rising level of underemployment among professional US workers.

For many years, medication errors have been a source of serious concern within the health care community. This article examines the definition and assessment of medication errors and some of the emerging technologies used to alleviate them. In addition, recommendations are proposed to improve the drug placement and promotion dimension of the marketing function in the pharmaceuticals industry.

The incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and its associated comorbidities such as diabetes and hypertension continue to increase as the population ages. As most ESRD patients qualify for Medicare coverage, the U.S. government initiated reforms of the payment system for dialysis facilities in an effort to decrease expenditures associated with ESRD reimbursement. The effects of reduced reimbursement rates, bundled payment options, and quality incentives on the current dialysis system, including kidney dialysis units, physicians, and patients, are examined.

Purpose -Taking an innovative theoretical approach, the purpose of this paper is to apply Merton's theory of anomia as personal reactions to social disruptions to white-collar worker reactions to being unemployed or under-employed. Design/methodology/approach -Exploratory, quantitative, secondary data analysis using data collected from convenience samples of career-disrupted, white-collar workers in four community and church based outplacement support groups. Recognizing career-disruption as a potentially anomic state, factor analysis was used to develop scales suggestive of Merton's categories of reactions to anomia, and cluster analysis was used to classify respondents into Merton's categories. Findings -Exploratory scales developed and resulting cluster analyses suggest Merton's theory may be helpful in recognizing different white-collar work reactions to career displacement. Research limitations/implications -Secondary analysis and convenience sample data are major limitations, but results justify a call for further research into the application of Merton's categories of reactions to anomia to displaced white-collar workers. Practical implications -Given the frequent shifts in the business environment, white-collar career disruptions will remain a frequent concern for senior management officers charged with administering layoffs and outplacement programs. Insights suggested by these analyses may aid anticipation of reactions of displaced white-collar workers in ways that may influence placement and counseling activities related to worker adjustments. Originality/value -This study is unique in applying Merton's theory of anomia to career disruptions, although Merton himself illustrated the theory with reference to workplace situations.