Three of the Most Difficult Issues Facing Health Care in the U.S.

Identify and describe at least three of the most difficult issues facing health care in the U.S. today.

Williams & Torrens (2010) states the three most difficult issues facing health care in the United States are: decision making practices, administrative practices and financing practices in the health system (page 337). The first issue facing the United States health care is decision-making practices. In fact, the more that statutes, regulations, and court cases decide ethical issues, the narrower is the scope of ethical decision making by providers of health care (Grad, F.P., (1978), page 19-36). The scope of decision making by physicians and families is constrained (Williams & Torrens, page 336). For example, the conditions for terminating life support for persons in a persistent vegetative state are clearer, when the patient has an up-to-date living will (Williams & Torrens, page 336). The second most difficult facing the United States health care today is our administrative service practices. There were important procedural contributions make to resolve disputes by authorizing, establishing, and monitoring mechanisms or processes for handling disputes (Williams & Torrens, page 337). For example, Ombudsmen in the health care institutions are a means of providing patient representation and advocacy (Williams & Torrens, page 337). They serve as channels for expression for ethical concerns of patients and their families (Williams & Torrens, page 337). Lastly, financially issues cause difficultly in the United States health care system today. One of the highest ethical priorities in health care in the United States is the achievement of universal coverage of the population by health insurance (Wi...

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...ustice (Williams & Torrens, page 327). Economic disparity in society is a public health ethical issue related to justice (Williams & Torrens, page 327). Increasing evidence suggests that inequality in terms of income differences between the rich and the poor has a large impact on a population’s health (Wilkinson, R.G. (1996), page 327). From a public health point of view, the economic resources to support health services should be fair and equitable (Williams & Torrens, page 327).

References

Grad, F.P. (1978). Medical Ethics and the Law. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 437, 19-36.

Wilkinson, R.G. (1996). Unhealthy Societies: The Afflictions of Inequality. London: Routledge.

Williams, S.J. & Torrens, P.R. (Eds.). (2008). Introduction to health services: 2010 custom

edition (7th. ed.). New York: Cengage Delmar Learning