Best Article Health Care

Health Care Services

There are many health services and a proper range of health care services needs to be provided under a proper healthcare system. The United States does not have the best health care services in the world but it can be said that it has the best emergency care system around the globe. The fact behind this is that America is having highest level of poverty and income inequality among all the rich and developed nations and it affects the reach of the people to the proper health services.

Health systems are designed to fulfill the needs of the health care of some targeted nation or population. Health care planning and its proper system implementation are much more necessary for any country or government. According to the World health report 2000 “Improving performance are good health, responsiveness to the expectations of the population, and fair financial contribution.” Duckett (2004) proposed a two dimensional approach to evaluation of health systems: “quality, efficiency and acceptability on one dimension and equity on another.”

To have a best health care facilities UNICEF advises that there must be three primary steps which can then systematically improve the health services and to complete a health system.

1. Standards
2. Assessment and Accreditation
3. Support Materials

Seven years ago World Health Organization made the first major effort to rank the health systems of 191 nations. The following parameters were taken in consideration for the best care services;

· Insurance Coverage
· Access
· Fairness
· Health Lives
· Quality
· Life and Death
· Patient Satisfaction
· Use of IT
· Top of the Line Care
· Walk in clinic

Health is a state of well being, physically, mentally, socially and psychologically. Health services are fundamental part of any community, therefore financial stability and proper coverage of medical through insurance or some other way is very much necessary for a human to live and stay normal. There is a proper process oriented structure is required, implemented by the government to provide the health services to each and every of their citizen. The health care industry is responsible to provide the proper health care services to the people with their arm namely health services providers. These health services are paid and could be paid by the patient, by insurance plan, or by the government. Charities and volunteers also play their role to provide the health services to those who are unable to afford. There could be various ways to provide health services to the patient, normally can be categorized into two main;

· Face to Face:

This is the most common way, where the provider, interacts with the patient physically and after having the checkup and understanding of the issues, diagnoses the problem or suggests some tests or medication.

· Non -Face To Face:

Telecommunication is the latest emerging facility, which is now in use to provide healthcare services as well. The practitioner can interact with the patient using, phone, email, text message, or video conferencing and then can provide further suggestions to him / her.

Health services are also provided at schools where the children could be taken care of. UNESCO has published a set of tools to provide the guidance to school healthcare services providers. Following are the basic parameters which must be catered;

· HIV/AIDS
· Food and nutrition
· Helminthes and hygiene
· Malaria
· Violence
· Drugs, tobacco and alcohol

In any health services providing system there could be the following three types of health services.

1. Primary Health Care Services:

Whenever someone needs a health care service in normal and routine life, who could be a family doctor, nurse, nurse practitioner, physiotherapist, pharmacist, etc. Primary health services often include prevention and treatment of common diseases and injuries.

2. Secondary Health CareServices:

Whenever someone needs a special care he/she is referred to a specialized care unit, like hospital, or nursing home to provide secondary level of health facilities.

3. Additional / Supplementary Health Care Services:

The services which are normally provided to the senior citizens, children or to whom which do not have their proper medical coverage or paying capabilities and the expanses are covered through government funds or through some volunteer or charity organization.

By Shane Kruger

What is the Forgotten Healthcare Issue?

I watched President Obama’s health summit for as long as I could. I didn’t see beer so I assume it was a water and lunch summit. During periods of boredom I would search online as each politician would give their talking points. Did you know that every state has a department to regulate and control the health insurance industry?

To save time I looked at the department in my own state – Illinois. It is called the Illinois Department of Insurance. I was shocked to to read the mission statement in the center of the top banner. It said, “The mission of the Department of Insurance is to protect consumers by providing assistance and information, by efficiently regulating the insurance industry’s market behavior and financial solvency, and by fostering a competitive insurance marketplace.”

Do you see why I was shocked to read this? The purpose of this agency is to regulate and foster competition within the insurance industry. Do you know what this whole healthcare bill is about? Whether or not the government should regulate and control health insurance to foster competition. Is that not the exact same thing?

The republicans in congress should object to the president’s plan on the grounds that we already have a department in every state to do what he is suggesting. The democrats should say fine, now let’s move on to the entitlement part to make sure everyone has health insurance.

I wonder if the bill eliminates the state departments? It should, since they have obviously failed at their task. I’m sure the individual departments would say they can’t do their job without more money and staff. Will the democrats agree to cut these state bureaucracies if the bill passes? Democrats would never cut a government office.

I couldn’t find out how many government employees work at the Illinois Department of Insurance. Their website outlines their organization with an Executive Staff, Legal Department, Consumer Market Department with 7 subsidiaries, a Financial-Corporate Regulatory Department with five sections, and support staff. What are they doing?

There are huge healthcare questions that need to be answered. Why do x-rays cost thousands when they should cost hundreds? How do we keep premiums down so most people can afford them? How do we provide insurance to the poor, the people un-insurable with pre-existing conditions, and yes, the people who live irresponsibly? How do we promote research for new and better medical devices, drugs, and procedures? How do we get the right people to the summit table to answer these questions?

Let me be clear – I don’t believe the government can effectively manage the healthcare of 300 million people. It will be slower, more costly, and take the lives of countless Americans. The government should be about the business of regulating and taxing. Government is necessary for establishing insurance industry rules so that citizens are protected. They can redistribute wealth so that the disadvantaged has access to medical care. End of story!

By William H Watson