U.S Healthcare Model

U.S healthcare model confronts extensive issues that bring out the critical need for change. Health care costs in the United States are the highest globally despite evidence of Americans not receiving the treatment they need. Many observers say that the country should offer decent health care to its citizens (Finkelstein, 2020). The healthcare system, however, falls well short of that aim. High-quality medical treatment improves the chances of achieving targeted health outcomes and aligns with current professional knowledge. There would be no disparities between health institutions and communities in a reformed system that provides better care at lower prices. Quality over quantity, value over quantity, and well-organized delivery over haphazard care are important considerations. Priority would also be given to patient care and safety.

Recent medical school graduates must complete a residency to practice medicine independently as part of their education. Residents generally work long hours with little time off throughout their 3 to 7 years of training to avoid acute and chronic sleep deprivation (Reith, 2018). Such long shifts may overwork residents and raise the risk of medical mistakes and accidents. On the other hand, many medical educators believe that extended duty hours are required to give residents the training experiences they need to become proficient in the complexity of diagnosing and treating patients (Reith, 2018). Removing the perverse fee-for-service payment structure would benefit the American healthcare system (Dowd&Laugesen, 2020). Under this pricing model, doctors and hospitals are compensated primarily based on the number of services they give rather than the appropriateness of treatments or the quality of outcomes they create. Economic theory dictates that as supply grows, prices should fall. On the other hand, medical services do not fall under this category since the provider is also in charge of generating demand and billing on a “regular and usual” basis. Furthermore, patient-centered treatment may aid in achieving optimal results. This is because patients who report particular positive experiences have a higher level of confidence and are less likely to transfer physicians or health plans, allowing for more treatment continuity (Finkelstein, 2020).

References

Dowd, B. E., &Laugesen, M. J. (2020). Fee‐for‐service payment is not the (main) problem. Health services research, 55(4), 491. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111%2F1475-6773.13316

Finkelstein, A. (2020). A strategy for improving U.S. health care delivery—conducting more randomized, controlled trials. https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/130339

Reith, T. P. (2018). Burnout in United States healthcare professionals: a narrative review. Cureus, 10(12). https://dx.doi.org/10.7759%2Fcureus.3681

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The United States can improve the current healthcare system’s quality and access through universal healthcare provided to all. A universal healthcare system should be mandatory for all Americans, ensuring accessibility and financing through taxes. For instance, the government can transition to a publicly financed or single-payer financing system to decrease the administrative costs and eliminate health coverage based on income, health status, employment, or place of residence (Crowley et al., 2020). The universal healthcare coverage plan can improve healthcare outcomes since people can access the same services at affordable rates. The current system disadvantages the poor, uninsured, and individuals with certain health conditions. It should be eliminated. In this way, universal healthcare can enhance access, equity, and quality in healthcare performance.

The US can improve efficiency and quality by emphasizing healthcare organizational structures and processes. The healthcare system ought to deliver the right services to the right people at the right time by translating current evidence into actions. Hospitals and physicians should have efficient ways to detect, diagnose, treat, guarantee adherence, evaluate treatment effectiveness, and adjust treatment (McGlynn, 2020). Physicians and hospitals also need supportive teams, guidelines, and tools. Such tools include health delivery incentives, disease registries, and decision-support tools. Improving the healthcare delivery system can boost the performance of healthcare efficiency and quality.

The American healthcare system can also improve healthy lives by underscoring primary care. Currently, only about 8% of healthcare costs are consumed by primary care, despite being linked to decreased expenses, hospitalizations, and mortality (Crowley et al., 2020). The first contact and central points of continuing care are relevant to enhancing the quality of care. Most patients in America undergo long-term care because they have minimal primary care. Strengthening the delivery and access to primary care can reduce future costs related to healthcare. Overall, transitioning to a universal healthcare system, enhancing healthy delivery processes, and improving primary care can improve the five dimensions of healthcare performance.

References

Crowley, R., Daniel, H., Cooney, T. G., & Engel, L. S. (2020). Envisioning a better US health care system for all: Coverage and cost of care. Annals of Internal Medicine, 172(2_Supplement), S7-S32.  https://doi.org/10.7326/M19-2415

McGlynn, E. A. (2020). Improving the quality of US health care—What will it take? New England Journal of Medicine, 383(9), 801-803. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMp2022644

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Jose Cardentey Hernandez