Seeking Justice in Health Care

The simplest definition of justice is the fair distribution of burdens and benefits. A just society seeks to implement this principle for all its citizens. Within spheres of justice is an array of resources, such as money, honors, food, shelter, health care, welfare, and education, that a just society attempts to distribute justly (Walzer, 1983). Within fields of justice is an array of criteria, such as urgency of need, capacity to benefit, value to society, future potential, and past services rendered, that a just society would consider when distributing a scarce resource (Schneiderman & Jecker, 1996). How can we proceed from these generalities to the specifics of health care justice?