What Makes a Healthcare System Good?
There are different answers to the question of what makes a healthcare system good. It likely depends upon one’s point of view. However, the World Health Organization (WHO), one of the major organizations in the world has established a well-accepted list of six major areas, so let’s begin here.
U. S. Health Care System
All health care systems have six major building blocks or components that ideally function as described by the WHO (2007):
• Good health services are those that deliver effective, safe, quality personal and non-personal health interventions to those who need them, when and where needed, with minimum waste of resources.
• A well-performing health workforce is one that works in ways that are responsive, fair, and efficient to achieve the best health outcomes possible, give, available resources and circumstances, (i.e., there are sufficient staff, fairly distributed: they are competent, responsive, and productive).
• A well-functioning health system ensures equitable access to essential medical products, vaccines, and technologies of assured quality, safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness, and their scientifically sound and cost-effective use.
• Leadership and governance involve ensuring strategic policy frameworks exist and are combined with effectiv3e oversight, coalition-building, regulation, attention to system design, and accountability.
• A good healthy financing system raised adequate funds for health in ways that ensure people can use needed services and are p protected from financial catastrophe or impoverishment associated with having to pay for them. It provides incentives for provers and users to be efficient.
• A well-functioning health information system is one that ensures the production, analysis, dissemination, and use of reliable and timely information on health determinants, health system performance, and health status.
Determine if the U.S. healthcare system contains the six needed building blocks for the provision of care.
Include the following aspects in the assignment:
• This is an informal 1-2 page paper, be sure to address each bullet
• For this assignment, you are a healthcare consumer and likely have a history, either your own or family and friends.
• Consider each of the 6 building blocks for effective healthcare systems:
• deliver effective, safe care
• workforce that is responsive, fair, and efficient
• equitable access to all aspects of the system
• effective leadership and governance
• adequate funds for healthcare for all
• effective use of reliable and timely information
• Describe your experiences with U.S. healthcare in each of the 6 areas.
• What was good and wasn’t. How would you improve what wasn’t?
• Cite any references. Proper grammar, sentence structure, and spelling are required. Use your own words. Copying and pasting are not allowed.
Sample Solution
As a healthcare consumer, I have experienced numerous flaws in the US healthcare system. In terms of delivering effective and safe care, I have received subpar treatment from some doctors and nurses throughout my life due to their lack of knowledge or experience with certain conditions. This has left me frustrated because my health is at risk when the practitioners don’t know how to properly diagnose or treat me. Additionally, there are often long wait times for appointments and treatments as well as difficulty getting timely access to specialists due to limited resources in certain areas.
In terms of workforce that is responsive, fair, and efficient, I often feel let down by medical staff who do not listen to me fully before making decisions about my care. Furthermore, there can be a lack of empathy towards patients which makes it difficult for them to open up and get the most out of their time with the provider. On top of that, some medical personnel may be more motivated by money than providing quality care which leads to higher costs for consumers without any guarantee of better outcomes .
When looking at equitable access ,I have found it difficult being uninsured especially in regards emergency care where bills can quickly add up if one does not meet criteria necessary for receiving assistance .I also see issues within insurance coverage itself ranging from increasing cost premiums & copays lowering level care available many people cant afford pay even after substantial financial planning .
For effective leadership & governance ,there appears significant need greater transparency concerning what types procedures covered public /private funds so citizens understand why spending done way it looks like on paper .This includes expanding awareness services offered ensuring they reach individuals need help most efficiently despite location so everyone aware options they possess
With adequate funds its clear more needs invested particularly those living poverty struggling keep basic medical necessities affordable leading chronic illnesses going untreated impacting whole population negatively when cases could prevented earlier stage with proper funding place.
Lastly, regarding reliable & timely information available again this an area where emphasis needed put ensure accuracy maintained across platforms such websites containing patient history data.The goal here should encourage all providers work together create unified system reduce errors occur during data entry/updates thereby streamlining entire industry as result.
