Doctors can act as gatekeepers or brokers for patients – how they decide can be crucial

Doctors can act as gatekeepers or brokers for patients – how they decide can be crucial

Getty ImagesGeneral practitioners (GPs) and hospital doctors are usually the first contact point for patients, but as our new research shows, they can take on different roles, acting either as gatekeepers or brokers. As gatekeepers they make sure unnecessary investigations are avoided and scarce resources used efficiently. As brokers, they advocate for their patients’ access to the limited resources available. For people living with life-limitin…