Health Care Reform in the US

Health Care Reform
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Health Care Reform
The American healthcare system is problematic. It is characterized by a high cost of care and poor health outcomes. According to Hoffer (2019), the cost of care in America is twice or thrice as high as that of other high-income countries. Yet, the outcomes of care are not any better in America. The nature of the American healthcare workforce and care coordination are some of the factors that contribute to the high cost of care with poor outcomes. Reforming these elements, as well as enhancing coverage, financing, and accountability can greatly improve the American healthcare system by lowering the cost of care, increasing accessibility and equity, and improving the quality of care.
1 Healthcare Workforce
The quality and quantity of the healthcare workforce have been linked to the effectiveness of a healthcare system, especially in terms of access to and outcomes of care. A well-functioning healthcare system should have well-trained, highly motivated healthcare professionals who can adequately meet the needs of the public. This means that there should be an adequate number of trained professionals such as nurses and primary care physicians. Yet, the American healthcare system is characterized by shortages of healthcare professionals such as nurses and primary care physicians. According to Basu et al. (2019), the supply of primary care physicians has been declining and it has been projected that there will be a significant shortage by 2035. A limited supply of healthcare professionals can decrease access to care and limit patients’ choice of healthcare providers. As revealed by Hackbarth (2009), increasing the proportion of primary care physicians can increase access to primary care, which is an important part of a well-functioning, effective healthcare system. To promote health and strengthen the healthcare system, reforms need to be done to improve the healthcare workforce, especially in terms of increasing the number of healthcare providers. Basu et al. (2019) reveal that the addition of 10 primary care physicians per 100, 000 population increases life expectancy by 51.5 days. This can significantly and positively impact the healthcare system.
2 Care Coordination
Patients often have to interact with several healthcare professionals including nurses, physicians, and pharmacists, among others, in the course of receiving care across various settings. To provide them with the best care and ensure the best health outcomes, care coordination is necessary. Yet, this element of effective care coordination in the current healthcare system is lacking. According to Clarke et al. (2017), coordination of care among different healthcare professionals across different settings is fragmented because they work in unintegrated silos which facilitate poor communication and increases the cost of care. In addition, poor communication and care coordination increase the risk of harm to the patient. Thus, improving care coordination is essential if the healthcare system is to offer better care that meets the health needs of patients. As Khullar and Chokshi (2018) reveal, care coordination improves the quality of care and patient experiences while reducing the cost of care. It also eliminates delays in the provision of care (Clarke et al., 2017), over-treatment, patient confusion, and service duplication (Hackbarth, 2009). Better care coordination, as an element of the healthcare system, can help address the issue of costly healthcare and ensure that all Americans have access to care. This is especially so for communities with poor economic backgrounds. As indicated by Khullar and Chokshi (2018), better care coordination can be most effective in areas that are socio-economically disadvantaged.
3 Coverage
Access to healthcare is influenced by health insurance coverage. Coverage expansion, according to Zuckerman (2014), is one of the priority areas in healthcare reforms in the US. An effective healthcare system ensures that every citizen can access healthcare whenever they need it. According to HealthyPeople.gov (2021), the American system is characterized by insufficient health insurance coverage which increases health disparities. In addition, there is an unequal distribution of health coverage among...