The Rise of the Consucrat

Abstract

Some agents representing the ‘receiving end’ of the medical-industrial complex could be called ‘career consumers.’ We identify these consucrats as a new class of intersectional representation of ‘those affected’ in healthcare delivery systems. We describe them in the context of (similar) abocrats and femocrats but show that consucrats face more complex and different level intersectional challenges. The designation, professionalization, and representation of consucrats are problematic, in particular for public policy change. We argue for an enhanced strategic and cautious role for the consumer health movement to support consucrats.

Keywords

• consumer
• politics
• professionalisation
• representation
• medical-industrial complex