The Interaction of the Major Components of the United States Healthcare System
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The Interaction of the Major Components of the United States Healthcare System
The United States health care system is a major focus of the country with several components that work hand in hand to ensure service delivery (Andersen, Kominski, & Rice, 2011). Millions of people who commit tirelessly to serve in the sector, from the home based care centers to the referral units, with the physicians dominating the sector. The institutions housing and caring for the patients are as well advancing each time, with the number increasing over the years to accommodate the needs of the people. The institutions categorizing are in different ways in terms of ownership, size and capacity of service among other characteristics. There is the investor-owned, voluntary and government owned institutions in the various levels of the country. All these institutions irrespective of the ownership or levels has to work together to ensure efficient delivery of healthcare for citizens (Shi& Singh, 2012).
Different equipment and supplies are necessary for the healthcare service personnel and their institutions to ensure proper provision of healthcare services. The machinery and pharmaceutical products have to be availed depending on the care provided to ensure that delivery of care is effective. The knowledge of the healthcare personnel on health and disease and their capacity to apply the knowledge for prevention and treatment through different interventions is as well an important aspect. Medical research and technology are ever increasing to expand the knowledge required in the health delivery sector. The healthcare education system to a great extent determine the delivery system as it trains professionals and technicians on how to put knowledge and technology into practice (Andersen, Kominski, & Rice, 2011). Economic development and funding are other important aspects of the system, and just as information and knowledge, financing acts as a fuel in the healthcare. Understanding the economics of the country and how funds are channeled are as important as it affects the delivery system.
Access to Healthcare
The concerns about the access to healthcare in the USA are about the comprehensiveness of the healthcare systems, achieving equity and the outcome since the essential services are available. Healthcare conditions of the communities contribute directly to the economic growth of a nation thus a focus on improvement of the health of communities is of benefit (Shi& Singh, 2012). Access to healthcare remains the fundamental human need and right in wider areas and the social goal giving everyone entitlement to the access of care. The needs of the excluded individuals must be met by the components of the delivery system with the professionals trained to care for them, funds allocated for their care, institutions set and accessibility ensured. Access to primary and essential healthcare is a right to everyone, but sometimes the definition of the basic healthcare may differ across sectors and states. Legislators and stakeholders in healthcare must take upon themselves to provide a leveled understanding of the extent of basic healthcare.
The states may present conditions and facilities necessary for the access to healthcare both fundamental and advanced, to each person who may need such services. The government on the other side has to ensure the presence of the health professionals, funding and reimbursement methodology within their systems. Access to healthcare services encompasses availability of the infrastructure in terms of building, access areas, equipment and supply and to a far extent, the capacity of a person to get service required (Gulliford & Morgan, 2013). Availability of funds and proper state funding of the sector encourages access to healthcare since services supported will be availed. By the government mandate, it is ensured that the respective professionals are present in the healthcare facilities to take care of the services offered. In that sense, to ensure the accessibility of healthcare service, the physical and the financial aspects must be considered. The physical and financial capacity must contain the service demand of the people.
Healthcare Expenditure
The healthcare spending in the US has been on an increasing trend over the years and is considered most by the finance sector. The healthcare cost is rising more than the general inflation, as the healthcare spending becomes more a component of the country’s economy (Shi & Singh, 2012). The expenditure covers training as in the health sciences training institutions, research and the research centers, the supplies and equipment, workforce, the facilities among other aspects. The state expenditure in healthcare is funded from different sources with the government being the primary funder and stakeholder for the government services. The citizens conduct the funding and the spending in healthcareare in a manner that ensures equity that ensures the level of income does not influence the access to healthcare.
Financing is a critical aspect that dictates the access to healthcare as it determines availability, extent and delivery. The US healthcare funding is as complex as it is, with most of the financing of healthcare provided by the private programs with a few public health insurance. Government funding covers up to 45% of the total healthcare expenditures with the latest focus shifting the spending burden on the taxpayers (Shi & Singh, 2012). Other than the equipment and infrastructure cost, there are different methods in place to pay in exchange for service provision by the providers. Therefore, the healthcare spending is dictated by the access to the services offered and payment for the services provided (Gulliford & Morgan, 2013).
Quality of Care
The quality of care relies much on provider capacity, competency, and the availability of tools and equipment necessary in an episode of care. The quality of care is primarily based on the structures in place, the process of the care delivery and lastly the outcome of the episodes of care and interventions (Shi& Singh, 2012). Access to healthcare is not an aspect of quality but the quality is the issue of access, and the focus must be on the technical and the interpersonal dimensions of systems (Andersen, Kominski & Rice, 2011). Effectiveness of cost and attention provides efficiency to the network and the people to which the care is offered, and concern is not only on the manner of distribution, but also quality and effectiveness both technical and economic.
The healthcare system in the US is focused to successfully achieving its purpose with every component working towards quality. The government relies on the reports on quality by the quality agencies to determine the efficiency and effectiveness of the delivery system and to inform their decisions (Shi& Singh, 2012). More funds are injected into training and training institutions, research, technology and care provision centers to ensure improved quality and standards on the services provided. There are regulations in place that guarantee the right procedures are undertaken to achieve the best results from the treatments and intervention in an efficient manner. The healthcare system must make sure that there is the right balance in the delivery without overuse, underuse or misuse (Andersen, Kominski, & Rice, 2011).
All the components of the healthcare delivery system must work hand in hand if the desired outcomes are to be achieved. Quality is an important aspect of the distribution network, and for it to be made proper mechanisms must be in place. Equipment, supplies such as the pharmaceutical and medical products and funding are critical and must be availed of service provision (Andersen, Kominski, & Rice, 2011). The personnel, training and research ensure availing of services and the response to the needs of the people within the communities and at the care centers. It is incumbent upon the government to ensure that the training systems respond to its needs and are within the national capacities. Funding and distribution of services must also be provided as per the needs and quality ensured through mechanisms and measures in place.