Managed health care plans: sheep in wolves' clothing

The gatekeeper is the ambassador of managed care, a cost-effective, quality advocate. The gatekeeper is one of the most effective management tools available to managed care organizations and patients today. However, there is little evidence proving this positive cost-benefit. Furthermore, managers lack the understanding and information about how gatekeepers operate and why certain decisions are made. The authors discuss what they believe is the real promise of managed care.