Health care's new periodic table

Complexity theory is not a single, unified theory per se. Rather, it consists of a set of concepts, orientations, heuristics, and analytic tools. In his essay, "What is Complexity Science, Really?", Steven Phelan suggested that "Complexity science introduces a new way to study regular...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Lancet 2003-03, Vol.361 (9363), p.1141-1141
Main Authors: Aron, David C, Lindberg, Curt
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cause-effect relationships
Complex adaptive systems
Griffiths, Frances
Health care
Nonfiction
Sweeney, Kieran
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Summary:Complexity theory is not a single, unified theory per se. Rather, it consists of a set of concepts, orientations, heuristics, and analytic tools. In his essay, "What is Complexity Science, Really?", Steven Phelan suggested that "Complexity science introduces a new way to study regularities that differs from traditional science . . . While traditional science has tended to focus on simple cause-effect relationships, complexity science posits simple causes for complex effects" (Emergence 2001; 3: 120-36). A dominant idea in complexity theory is the complex adaptive system, which is defined as a network of agents-for example, cells, organs, patients, physicians, hospitals-that interact with each other according to a set of rules that require them to examine and respond to each other's behaviour. That examination and response then alters their behaviour, and thus the behaviour of the system they constitute. Complexity brings a whole new set of metaphors with which health care can be interpreted. But can the insights gained from complexity facilitate understanding in medicine and health care?
ISSN:0140-6736
1474-547X
DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(03)12859-0