D. W. Winnicott directly addressed the subject of what doctors and other health care professionals do when they offer care to their patients. His theoretical contributions in psychoanalysis also pertain to the concept of patient care and problems in the provision of care to patients. This dissertation examines Winnicott's work on the subject of patient care, including the duties and requirements of doctors, the doctor-patient relationship, concepts of health and illness, and patients' psychological difficulties in receiving care. In particular, Winnicott's concepts of maternal provision of a holding environment, the psyche-soma, and the use of an object are examined with respect to patient care. These ideas are then related to the current prevalence of managed health care. The psychological consequences to doctors and patients of the policies of managed care are discussed in light of Winnicott's work. The paradox of managed care as both a solution and a problem in health care is viewed as a potential field out of which creative possibilities might emerge.