MED INF 401 American Health Care System
Course Description
This course will serve as an introduction to elements of the American Health care system
including the provider components, the financing of health care, the basic structure of public policy making and public health systems, comparative analysis of the American system to the health care systems of other countries, and the legal and regulatory framework within which the American health care system functions. In addition to the structural components of the system, the course will review some of the current issues within the American health care system including public health, preparedness, quality of health care, pay for performance, and consumerism. |
Instructor: Margaret F. Schulte, DBA, FACHE, CPHIMS
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Learning Goals
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Text
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Health Care Delivery in the United States, 9th
Edition by Anthony R. Kovner, PhD and James R. Knickman, PhD, 2005 Springer Publishing Co., Inc. |
I am relieved anytime I find a textbook that is actually enjoyable to read. This is one of those books. The material is inherently dense, but the authors have composed it in a way that does not leave me trying to pull my hair out. Thus far, my only criticism is that certain parts of the book are already starting to appear outdated as a result of the rapidly changing issues associated with the ACA. This is obviously no fault of the authors, but a companion website with updated information would be a great idea.
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My take away from this course:
A new analysis of the U.S. healthcare system delves into why the system costs so much, how quality is worse than other developed countries and why chronic illness management among all ages is the key to righting the ship.
In 2011, U.S. spending on healthcare hit $2.7 trillion, or almost 18 percent of gross domestic product. Why has the healthcare system become so expensive?
Although the average life expectancy of U.S. citizens has lengthened by 30 years since 1900, averaging 81 years for women and 76 years for men, the authors said the rise of healthcare expenditures has little to do with the aging population. Instead, researchers attributed the cost growth to hospital care (4.2 percent growth per year since 2000), drugs and devices (4 percent) and professional/physician services (3.6 percent).
The U.S. healthcare profile
Who are the major healthcare players, and who are the primary receivers of care? In this era of "Big Medicine," large integrated health systems are quickly becoming the primary providers of care, with physicians as the point of contact. Patients who require the most care, and thus create the most costs within the system, are those with chronic illnesses, such as heart disease and cancer. Chronic illnesses account for 84 percent of all U.S. healthcare costs, and chronic diseases are scattered across all ages — not only among the elderly.
A popular claim made about the U.S. healthcare system, according to researchers, is it is among the best systems in the world, providing high-end care and cutting-edge treatments thanks to its continual investment. However, based on data with the 28 member countries of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, the U.S. is far behind. It trails other OECD countries in several major healthcare quality outcomes, including mortality and morbidity in cardiovascular, infectious, perinatal and respiratory diseases. The U.S. also has one of the highest healthcare per capita figures in the world.
Study researchers said U.S. under-performance, compared to other industrialized countries, could be attributed to the financing mechanism that leaves many uninsured, cultural norms like gun ownership, obesity, risk of trauma and high rates of hospital-acquired infections.
A new analysis of the U.S. healthcare system delves into why the system costs so much, how quality is worse than other developed countries and why chronic illness management among all ages is the key to righting the ship.
In 2011, U.S. spending on healthcare hit $2.7 trillion, or almost 18 percent of gross domestic product. Why has the healthcare system become so expensive?
Although the average life expectancy of U.S. citizens has lengthened by 30 years since 1900, averaging 81 years for women and 76 years for men, the authors said the rise of healthcare expenditures has little to do with the aging population. Instead, researchers attributed the cost growth to hospital care (4.2 percent growth per year since 2000), drugs and devices (4 percent) and professional/physician services (3.6 percent).
The U.S. healthcare profile
Who are the major healthcare players, and who are the primary receivers of care? In this era of "Big Medicine," large integrated health systems are quickly becoming the primary providers of care, with physicians as the point of contact. Patients who require the most care, and thus create the most costs within the system, are those with chronic illnesses, such as heart disease and cancer. Chronic illnesses account for 84 percent of all U.S. healthcare costs, and chronic diseases are scattered across all ages — not only among the elderly.
A popular claim made about the U.S. healthcare system, according to researchers, is it is among the best systems in the world, providing high-end care and cutting-edge treatments thanks to its continual investment. However, based on data with the 28 member countries of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, the U.S. is far behind. It trails other OECD countries in several major healthcare quality outcomes, including mortality and morbidity in cardiovascular, infectious, perinatal and respiratory diseases. The U.S. also has one of the highest healthcare per capita figures in the world.
Study researchers said U.S. under-performance, compared to other industrialized countries, could be attributed to the financing mechanism that leaves many uninsured, cultural norms like gun ownership, obesity, risk of trauma and high rates of hospital-acquired infections.