Science, statistics and intellectual reasoning became increasingly significant in determining health advice and interventions from the 16th Century onwards (Stockdale 2002) but particularly in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The result was a revolution in healthcare, away from person "medical expert" opinions and towards more objective sources of information and understanding.
Despite having their personal omnipotence undermined by science, health services providers were able to retain their prestige and robust fee-structure by becoming the purveyors of the sacred tablets of science, data analysis and technology!
However, just when we have all become quite clear what the rules are for participating in decision-making and risk-assessing health service processes, a new force has emerged to send a tremor of apprehension through the serried ranks of professional expertise.
This fearful threat to established professional behavior patterns goes under the cryptic, academically-validated, name of "postmodernism"
Review of Decision-Making in Human & Veterinary Medicine:
Introduction
