Major Problems Associated with the US Healthcare System - Essay Example

Major problems associated with the US healthcare system Abstract The observation of the US healthcare services revealed three major problems such as accelerated cost of the professional and the medicinal drugs, improper access to healthcare services and lack of proper healthcare and well-being of patients. Correspondingly, the primary purpose of this paper was to describe the three major problems associated with the US healthcare system. Eventually, it was identified that there is an urgent need for reforming the US healthcare system in order to ensure adequate health and well of across the country. Introduction The United States healthcare system in recent times has been experiencing major shortcomings, which have worsened the internal scenario of the healthcare services in the country. This shortsightedness of administrative department of the US healthcare system reflects about the development and implementation of ineffective strategies, which has led the whole system ineffective. Correspondingly, the legislative policies framed by the US government have made the system more complex and rigid. The core of any healthcare services inculcates effective healthcare services to be rendered to the customers relatively at affordable price. However, it has become necessary to foster change within the US healthcare system for providing better services to the general public at a reasonable cost (Blanton, Brodie, Rowland & Altman, 2000; Jones & Bartlett Learning, n.d.). This paper intends to reflect about the three major problems pertaining to the US healthcare system. Accordingly, this paper will focus on three major problems in the US healthcare system which includes accelerated cost, improper access to the healthcare services and lack of health and well-being or patients. Moreover, this paper also demonstrates appropriate solutions necessary to tackle the aforementioned three major healthcare problems. Furthermore, role of the administrators and the implementation of leadership styles within the US healthcare system are also addressed for effectively mitigating the challenges of healthcare system. Identification and Description of the Three Major Problems of the US Healthcare Services The US healthcare system is currently experiencing numerous problems, out of which the three major problems are accelerated health costs, improper access to the healthcare services and the lack of health and well-being of the patients. This segment of the study will provide detailed descriptions of the above mentioned three major problems pertaining to the US healthcare system. Accelerated Healthcare Costs In the recent observation conducted by Centre for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), it has been revealed that increase in the population growth and aging society has significantly contributed as one of the major causes for the increase in the personal healthcare expenditures. Accordingly, it has been ascertained that professional fees, medicated prescriptions and hospital costs contributes around 70% of the healthcare expenditures. Furthermore, there exist certain other demographic factors which had resulted in the accelerated healthcare expenditures. Geographic variation is one such factor, which has led towards increasing the healthcare expenditures in the country. It can be identified that diversified geographical variation has led to increased healthcare cost merely due to inadequate availability of proper healthcare services at certain places particularly in the remote areas of the country. Correspondingly, the rapidly obsoleting technologies and the constant application of latest technology as well as use of advanced medical drugs have also dramatically led towards the accelerated healthcare costs across the country (Jones & Bartlett Learning, n.d.). With the advent of globalization and modernization, there has been a drastic shift in the objectives of the US healthcare system. Apparently, healthcare system in the country is gradually moving from non-profit to profit motive for sustainability within the competitive market scenario. Evidently such shift in the objectives of the US healthcare system has also resulted in the increasing healthcare costs across the country. Additionally, it has been analyzed that the people who are uninsured are generally encountered with the problem of accelerated healthcare costs (Center for American Progress, 2013). The percentage of the US masses spending in the healthcare services has been shown through a pictorial representation given below. Percentage of Population Spending in the Healthcare Services (Jones & Bartlett Learning, n.d.) Improper Access to Healthcare Services The US healthcare system is experiencing another major problem of improper access to the healthcare services by general public. Notably, it can be identified that if a person residing in the US fails to come under the health insurance coverage, he/she is more likely to experience improper access to healthcare services due to inadequate fund to meet the increasing healthcare costs. Apart from the aforementioned factors, there are other major hurdles such as lessened healthcare services, scarce cultural competency and linguistic barriers, which restricts the common people to have proper access to healthcare services (American Medical Association, 2013; Blendon, Brodie, Benson, Altman & Bhur, 2006). Furthermore, in the recent observations, it has been ascertained that majority of the people receives their part of insurance from the employers. As a consequence of increasing healthcare demands, the cost associated with the coverage policies are also viewed to be accelerating, which has restricted the employers from contributing adequate amount to employees’ insurance fund. It has been further reported that in the year 2009, medical debt framed the prior reason for the US companies getting bankrupt. Additionally, it has also been revealed that 62 percent of the personal bankruptcy toll amounted from the paying of the health insurance coverage to the employees under the insurance scheme (CBS Interactive Inc, 2013; Bernstein, Chollet & Peterson, 2010). Lack of Health and Well-Being of Patients For measuring a country’s health and well-being, there exist various indicators among which the most commonly used measures include the infant mortality rate and the life expectancy rate. In the US, the rate of the infant mortality has been measured as 7.2 which signify that every year 7.2 infants die per 1000 live births. This toll is massive, which reflects about the poor health measures provided within the country. However, in a recent study conducted, it was comprehended that the need of advanced healthcare facilities for the children suffering from emotional, behavioral and developmental problem (EBD) has emerged to be a major global concern. Considering the aforesaid scenario, it can be propagated that the US healthcare system is currently burdened with severe healthcare challenges (Mendes, 2010). Contextually, the health and well-being of the common people will be in stake unless the rapidly rising costs associated with clinical drugs and the professional fees regulated. Furthermore, the people with low-income are the worst affected due to the mounting healthcare costs. The disparity between the salary earned and the accelerated healthcare expenditure has largely deprived the people with low income from accessing quality (Mendes, 2010; Swartz, 2009). Thus, it has become an essence for the US healthcare system to identify measures and frame policies so that every individual in the country are able to access the proper healthcare services. Summarization of the Critical Issues and Strategies to Mitigate Them As accessed above, the US healthcare sector is experiencing significant problems, among which the study entails the three major issues. This segment will reflect on the critical issues pertaining to the US healthcare system and the relevant strategies to mitigate such issues. Responsively, the accelerated cost of the healthcare services stands to be most pivotal issue prevailing within the healthcare system of the US. In this regard, the rising fees of healthcare professionals, hike in the prices of clinical drugs and advancement in the technologies are viewed to be major contributor for the increasing healthcare cost in the US. Hence, in order to tackle the challenges of increasing healthcare cost, government can ensure measures to reduce the professional charges as well as it should provide subsidies to common people so that quality every individual is able to avail the quality healthcare services at an affordable cost. Furthermore, geographic variance is also viewed to be as strong determinant that has accelerated cost of the healthcare services. Thus, the concentration of the government should not be limited to urban areas only instead it should ensure that adequate healthcare services are available in remote areas as well as (Mendes, 2010; Nahata, Ostaszewski & Sahoo, 2005). Concerning with the US healthcare problem, inadequate coverage of the people under health insurance is observed to be another major determinant of healthcare system in the US. It has been ascertained that the amount which the insurance companies pay to the insurer, is not enough to meet the healthcare needs of the patients. Furthermore, the linguistic barriers and lessened healthcare services among others were also been ascertained to be strong determinants for deteriorating health and well-being of large population in the US. These issues can be effectively mitigated, if the insurance companies increase their healthcare coverage premium for different categories of patients. Additionally, the administrative department of the US healthcare system can ensure special treatment benefits for the patients as the prior duty of any healthcare service sector is to ensure effective health conditions rather than earning profits (Mendes, 2010). Role of the Administrator and the Leadership Style Required For Mitigating the Challenges Faced By the US Health Care System Healthcare sector administrative department frames a vital body for the effective execution of the healthcare services being rendered to the common person. It is the responsibility of the administrator to frame advance policies for mitigating the critical issues elated with the US healthcare system. The administrator of the healthcare sector of the US must ensure proper policies to establish healthcare services within integrated areas. Furthermore, the administrative department can ensure adequate medical facilities in the remote areas of the country. Moreover, the administrative department must keep a close check on the performance of the professional team as healthcare service is the most vital sector as compared to others. Considerably, the healthcare administrator need to ensure that acquiring advance technologies does not have significant impact on accessing healthcare services by common people (Whitehouse.gov, 2009). Charismatic and the transformational leadership style can be applied by the healthcare department of the US. In accordance with the charismatic style, the US healthcare sector should establish long-term goals and evocative vision that promotes innovation and encourages healthcare staff to contribute their strong commitment for realizing health and well-being of people across the country. At the same time, transformational leadership is essential for transforming health care system in the country. It is vital that healthcare leaders are constantly involved in framing strategies and policies according to the changing needs and requirements of patients. It is equally important that healthcare leaders are engaged in activities that ensures continues improvement in the healthcare system and services at reasonable costs (Whitehouse.gov, 2009). Conclusion As accessed above, the US healthcare sector is currently facing numerous problems. In relation to this, cost of the healthcare services, improper access to the healthcare services and the lack of health and well-being of the patients as been observed to be three major challenges encountered by US healthcare system. From the study, it was comprehended that the high cost of the professional charges and the medicinal drugs contributes to the accelerated cost pertaining to healthcare services. Furthermore, it has also been ascertained that application of advance technology has also led towards increasing costs of the healthcare services in the country. Correspondingly, linguistic problem, lessened numbers of healthcare services and the inadequate coverage of the healthcare insurance are the pivotal reasons that had resulted in the improper access to healthcare service across the country. . Thus, it is essential that the US government and the healthcare administrator to take effective measures to mitigate such issues. Furthermore, charismatic style and the transformational leadership style are needed to be applied by the healthcare administrator to ensure effective and reasonable healthcare services across all the corners of the country. References American Medical Association. (2013). About the issue. Retrieved from http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/about-ama/our-people/member-groups-sections/medical-student-section/advocacy-policy/health-care-access/issue.page Blanton, M. L., Brodie, M., Rowland, D., & Altman, D. (2000). Race, ethnicity, and the health care system: public perceptions and experiences. Medical Care Research and Review, 57(1), 218-235. Blendon, R. J., Brodie, M., Benson, J. M., Altman, D. E., & Bhur, T. (2006). Americans’ views of health care costs, access, and quality. The Milbank Quarterly, 84(4), 623–657. Bernstein, J., Chollet D., & Peterson, S. (2010). How does insurance coverage improve health outcomes? Issue Brief, (1), 1-15. CBS Interactive Inc. (2013). Issue brief: health care. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505103_162-57522437/issue-brief-health-care/ Center for American Progress. (2013). Cutting health care costs. Retrieved from http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/healthcare/news/2012/08/02/11970/cutting-health-care-costs/ Jones & Bartlett Learning. (n.d.). Understanding the U.S. healthcare system. Retrieved from http://samples.jbpub.com/9780763795405/Chapter1.pdf Mendes, E. (2010). In U.S., health disparities across incomes are wide-ranging. Retrieved from http://www.gallup.com/poll/143696/health-disparities-across-incomes-wide-ranging.aspx Nahata, B., Ostaszewski, K., & Sahoo, P. (2005). Rising health care expenditures: a demand-side analysis. Journal of Insurance Issues, 28(1), 88–102. Swartz, K. (2009). Health care for the poor: For whom, what care, and whose responsibility? Focus, 26(2), 69-74. Whitehouse.gov. (2009). The economic case for health care reform. Retrieved from http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/CEA_Health_Care_Report.pdf Read More