Decision Making within Health Care Regulation Subcommittees

Abstract

An examination was made of the decision making and the discussion climates during state service health care regulation subcommittee meetings. Members from subcommittees appointed by a governmental health care efficiency and simplification task force responded to a series of Delphi questionnaires. A participant observer evaluated discussion climate and recorded actual voting behavior. Across-meeting comparisions were made on voting behavior for selected issues and climate. Conflict appeared to affect the number of issues discussed and the perceived salience of those issues. Of those issues resolved, only relatively minor recommendations were advanced. Special interest groups in collective committee discussion evidenced increases in defensive climates