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Health Care Institutions, Communication, and Physicians' Experience of Managed Care

A Multilevel Analysis

University of Illinois at Chicago

John C. Lammers

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

This study uses the institutional theory of organizational communication (ITOC) to explain physicians' reactions to managed care. ITOC posits that enduring beliefs and practices both transcend and shape particular organizations and organizing. The authors find that physicians' institutional beliefs moderated the negative relationship between managed care medical practice and satisfaction. ITOC also posits that the negotiation of institutional, environmental, organizational, and individual factors occurs through communication. Controlling for these factors, communication with managed care representatives remains significantly and positively related to satisfaction. The results provide support for ITOC and macro approaches to organizational communication research and offer insights for the management of professionals in general and physicians in particular.

Key Words: institutions • professions • health care • managed care

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Management Communication Quarterly, Vol. 21, No. 2, 201-231 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0893318907308747


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This Article Abstract Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Barbour, J. B. Articles by Lammers, J. C. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?