Health planning as social evolution

Failure to actively plan the health care system has permitted many problems to develop and go uncorrected. However, the notion of a planned health system is out of fashion. In this essay, a rationale is offered that defends a return to development of a planned system. A view of an evolving health system is presented that might be characterized as organic or sociobiological. Drawing from the work of theorists who have applied evolution theory to social science, the author discusses the main elements of a more organized health system and the policy changes required to achieve it. This extension of the theory of evolution suggests that a planned system is more likely to survive environmental disruption. Finally, changes in the roles of planners are suggested.