Relational triangles in managed care

Relational triangles provide a conceptual framework for understanding interpersonal relationships and utilization review disputes in managed care programs. Relational triangles exist in the every day practice of medicine. The most striking example of relational triangles in practice is found in managed care systems' concurrent utilization management programs. The author provides some rules of relational triangles and vignettes to illustrate how they work in the managed care setting.