Publisher's Synopsis
Numerous studies have looked into the future of our healthcare system, and have attempted to study the industrial activities involved, in an attempt to identify the major future trends that the social protection system will have to face. In fact, most of this research focuses less on the production of biomedical equipment and products than on biomedical technologies. In other words, the focus is not on how products are produced, but rather on the evolution of diagnostic and therapeutic practices and methods.Our work is based on this observation, and posits that the study of the conditions of emergence of a healthcare industry requires consideration of the social function it performs.This does indeed concern the production of the resources needed for medical and care procedures. In the final analysis, however, the latter only take on meaning if we simultaneously take into account the way in which care is provided (biomedical technologies, staff training, etc.) and the reason for providing it.
