The authors examine the effect of economic forces on the income of
psychiatrists and compare the economic position of psychiatry with that of
the rest of medicine. Since 1970 the income of psychiatrists has been
losing ground compared with that of other medical specialists, although
recent data suggest a possible improvement in the economic position of
psychiatry. The authors believe that psychiatrists' incomes are important
as a sign of the value of psychiatric care and as one measure of the
economics of practice, that is, the incentives related to the distribution
of scarce technology and labor in the service delivery system.Abstract Teaser