Healthcare in the United States has undergone major revolutions since the year 1850. The revolution was orchestrated by the existence of chronic diseases and endemic of acute infections which were as a result of unhygienic living conditions. This revolution occurred in a number of stages whereby each stage addressed a specific problem in the healthcare system. This discussion seeks to highlight the different periods of revolution and the specific healthcare issues which were addressed in each period.
The first period of revolution took place between the year 1850 and 1900. During this period, hospitals were developed in many areas of the United States. The major problem that the government sought to address was the issue of endemic illnesses which posed a significant threat to the health of the population. The second period of revolution occurred between the years 1900-1941. During this stage the government on development of scientific medicine. It is worth noting that, people relied on traditional medicine and traditional cures which were very ineffective. The mortality rate was very high. This led to the development of scientific medicines. For instance, according to University of Minnesota, (n.d.), penicillin was the first antibiotic to be developed. This was a great milestone in treating many diseases which are caused by bacteria. In the third period of revolution which occurred between the years 1941-1980, a lot of focus was directed towards addressing the problems of chronic diseases. Again, during this period a lot of developments were made such as introduction of health insurance programs and adoption of technology in medical practice. In the fourth period which runs from the year 1980 to date, where major advancements have been made. A lot of costs are being incurred by the government in providing effective medical services to the population. More sophisticated medical machines have been incorporated in the treatment services. It is very important to understand these stages because they help one to appreciate the developments that have been made by the government in ensuring affordable healthcare system to the citizens.
Single-payer healthcare system has been a common topic of discussion in the United States. This is a form of health care system which seeks to replace the insurance healthcare system which has proved to be costly and denies the citizens uniform access to healthcare services. According to Galea, S.(2017), the Americans are demanding for healthcare to be granted as a right by the Federal government. Most Americans believe that this new system will help in addressing the drawbacks associated with the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Several perspectives can be used to analyze and understand health of a particular country. Such perspectives include; Pubic policy perspective, this involves engaging the stakeholders before policies regarding healthcare are passed. Management strategy perspective can also used to analyze the health care of a nation; this refers to the ability of a nation to handle and address healthcare issues in a prompt manner. Clinical/patient perspective can be used to analyze the health system of a nation. This involves engaging and allowing patients to choose the form of medical care they want.
In conclusion, United States underwent a long period of revolution in healthcare system. In each period, a specific problem would be resolved. However, more changes are being done with an aim of improving the current healthcare system. As discussed above, single-payer Healthcare System is one of the changes being proposed to be adopted in the system.
- Galea, S.(2017). Is the U.S. Ready for a Single-Payer Health Care System? Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from, https://hbr.org/2017/07/is-the-u-s-ready-for-a-single-payer-health-care-system
- University of Minnesota, (n.d.). The Rise of Scientific Medicine. Medicine and Health Care in the United States. Libraries Publishing. Retrieved from, http://open.lib.umn.edu/sociology/chapter/18-4-medicine-and-health-care-in-the-united-states/