Health Care Systems in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health Care Systems in America - Essay Example The United States health care delivery has been described as a cottage industry for a long time which is characterized by fragmentation on the community, national, state, and practice level. No single state policy or entity is used to guide the health care system. Different states divide their responsibilities between different agencies. Also, health care providers who are caring for the same patients and practicing within the same community are working independently from each other. This poor deliver system is a leading cause for the overall poor performance in the system and directing it to the verge of collapsing. Families and patients are navigating unassisted across different healthcare settings and providers which results in frustrations and harmful patient experiences. Lack of clear accountability and poor communication among the multiple healthcare providers and patients is leading to numerous medical errors, duplication and waste (Kenney, 2010). Lack of quality improved infr astructure, clinical information system and peer accountability are some of the causes of the overall poor quality of healthcare. Also, intensive medical intervention and high cost are rewarded over higher-value primary care which includes management of chronic illness and preventive medicines. As far as healthcare is concerned, many nations are not getting what they deserve for their money. In the United States, an approximately 30 percent of the total health care expenditure is wasted through overuse, systematic underuse and misuse. All this happens even with increasing rate that is far exceeding the overall inflation. According to the world health organization, the United States health care system is ranked 37th in quality despite the medical cost being among the highest compared with other nations. A commonwealth fund study on the health care of the U.S. found that the country