BUSI 511 Liberty University US Health Care Discussion

Draft a reply to another students discussion board. The post should have 4 cited sources. Here is the students post that you are replying to:

Foundation of U.S. Health Care Delivery

In order to better understand why certain things are the way they are now, history serves as the best teacher and source of information to guide you in the right direction. History lends itself to offer key facts and pieces of information that serve as the context for what is taking place in the present times. This is no different in the case of health care in the United States and the health care delivery system in the United States. Understanding the historical things that took place and eventually lead up to the present day helps to give meaning to why health care operates the way it does in the United States versus other places around the world.

Over time, health care in the United States and the health care delivery system has embraced factors and models that support things like evidence-based medicine (EBM) and not having a fully government-run health care system. The history of health care in the United States helps to understand how and why health care in the United States is the way it is and what should be avoided that did not work in the past as we look to improve going forward with health care in the United States. Many factors unique to the characteristics of the country have shaped the health care system in the United States and a historical look and understanding of these factors helps to explain the health care system that we operate today in the United States.

History of U.S. Health Care Delivery

The health care delivery system in the United States has been largely shaped to be in-line with the values and beliefs of the country. It is important to understand the history of health care in the United States in order to understand what is taking place currently in health care in the United States (Shi & Singh, 2019). Without knowing where the system came from and understanding why certain things are in place, you need to have a solid foundational knowledge of where the health care system got its roots. Going forward, changes can be made to the current system if we know what has already been tried in the past and understanding why the current system has been put in place.

Factors Shaping U.S. Health Care

Health care in the United States has been shaped largely by factors like politics, ecological forces, economics, technology, and cultural beliefs and values (Shi & Singh, 2019). These factors have the ability to shape access to health care, what types of health care services are offered to patients, how the treatment is delivered to patients and the price of health care services (Hall, 2017). The system that is currently in place has come a long way from where it started with humble beginnings compared to the rest of the world. Science and technology are critical factors that have drastically shaped the system that we rely on today and that has come at a detriment to the way primary care is treated versus specialized care (Shi & Singh, 2019).

Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM)

The term evidence-based medicine was coined in 1991 by Dr. Gordon Guyatt, with the help of other doctors and scholars at McMaster University in Canada, and went from being a new method for delivering care to being further shaped and widely accepted in health care. Evidence-based medicine utilizes a hierarchy of evidence, based on trusting vetted research methods and with randomized controlled trial and meta-analysis as well. Reviews of clinical trials and the use of clinical practice guidelines became important in the United States and in Europe (Brush & Halperin, 2016).

Evidence-based medicine in the United States is a worthy goal considering again the history of health care in the country. Health care has transformed significantly over the years and evidence-based medicine is a far cry from the almshouse and relying on tradition, anecdotes, and teachings passed on by word of mouth (Brush & Halperin, 2016). While evidence-based medicine still has challenges to overcome and a long way to go to reach its full potential, it is definitely not going anywhere, anytime soon. Furthermore, as time goes on, evidence-based medicine will need to transform into evidence-based practice in a clinical setting on a widespread level Hong & Chen, 2019).

At the moment, evidence-based medicine is a worthy goal because it offers the most comprehensive approach to the delivery of health care that we have. Evidence-based medicine works for the system that is in place in the United States right now, and it would have more success if it was carried over into clinical practice by health care providers. With technology increasing at a rapid pace, evidence-based medicine offers controls and reviews that help make sure there is support for the care that is being given and the new technology that is being used to help deliver health care around the world. With the cost of health care constantly rising and specialized care being thrown into the forefront, evidence-based medicine helps to add support to help to justify not only the cost but the procedure itself.

While there are some that view the United States health care system as the best in the world, others would argue strongly against that notion. From the outside looking in, many people take on the perspective that the United States should adopt a model of universal health care for all like in other countries (Schneider & Squires, 2017). A historical look at the health system in the United States helps to shed light on exactly why the United States has rejected adopting this type of health care system repeatedly over time. In order to successfully navigate towards the future, the past must be understood first.

References

Brush, J. E., & Halperin, J. L. (2016). A baby in the bathwater: Preserving evidence-based

medicine. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 68(2), 214-216.

doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2016.05.023

Hall, M. A. (2017). The role of courts in shaping health equity. Journal of Health Politics, Policy

and Law, 42(5), 749-770. doi:10.1215/03616878-3940432

Hong, J., & Chen, J. (2019). Clinical physicians’ attitudes towards evidence-based medicine

(EBM) and their evidence-based practice (EBP) in wuhan, china. International Journal of

Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(19), 3758. doi:10.3390/ijerph16193758

Schneider, E. C., & Squires, D. (2017). From last to first — could the U.S. health care system

become the best in the world? The New England Journal of Medicine, 377(10), 901-904.

doi:10.1056/NEJMp1708704

Shi, L. & Singh, D. A., (2019). Essentials of the U.S. health care system. (5th ed.). Jones &

Bartlett Learning, LLC.