A new model or moving along a continuum?

My intention in trying to define a new model is to try and define our target. We can then check our progress towards it. Will there be a paradigm shift or will we make continuous, smooth progress towards that vision? My feeling is that technological change is happening so quickly that we are likely to reach a tipping point in which society needs to make some very rapid changes in order to absorb the changes. Wikipedia has a good article on the philosophy of paradigm shift described by Kuhn.

I have a real problem with the amount of reading I need to do to do a good job on this topic. The Resourceful Patient stuff that Anne Marie referenced looks really interesting but is a very big read. I also had an interesting conversation with a friend (Matt Friend,in fact) over coffee and it would appear that his Master's thesis has some bearing on all of this as he looked at the literature of how markets develop.

The diagram shows Schumpeter's theory of long cycles to the development of the IT industry. It could be that we could develop a similar model for the development of medical science.
That way, I suspect, leads to a masters thesis at least.
I'm going to short circuit that and reveal the model that I want to propose as a starting point for the discussion.

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A Social Model of Health Management

A society in which a person manages her own health, and her dependents, through an open, informed and honest relationship with healthcare professionals and auxiliaries.

Note

Throughout this document the female shall embrace the male.

Definitions

Person

A human being! Includes healthcare professionals and auxiliaries when they are managing their own or a dependant's health

Dependent

A person who is legally deemed to be unable to manage her health for herself. It will be managed a legally nominated competent person.