Quality Assurance in Healthcare Systems

1. Discussion

Based on your course readings in Module 1 and additional research, prepare and post to the Discussion Area the strengths and weaknesses of healthcare delivery in the U.S., as compared to other developed nations such as England or Australia. In addition discuss the factors that contribute to the strengths and weaknesses of healthcare delivery in the U.S. Justify your viewpoint using examples.

Note: You are encouraged to look for authoritative, peer-reviewed sources of information and then choose your own perspective about the issue. Include a minimum of one authoritative reference source in the reference list for your discussion and a minimum of one in-text reference citation.

2. Discussion Question

Primary care and secondary care are both provided in an outpatient setting, mostly in a doctor's office. What are the benefits and risks in this provision of healthcare? Describe the difference between "primary" and "secondary" care in your response.

3. Discussion Question

The proponents of government-subsidized managed care in the U.S. want a plan that would be a single-payer universal health system managed by the federal government. Under such a system all Americans, young, old, poor, wealthy, working, or not working, would be covered under one plan; no Medicare, Medicaid, VA, Native American Health Service, private insurance, or HMOs would be included in the system. This one plan would pay for whatever healthcare a person needs. Many Americans oppose such a plan.

What do you think are the pros and cons of such a plan?
Would you want to be covered under such a plan?
Do you think you would be better or worse off with such a plan? Why?

4. Discussion Question

Some experts say that competition helps keep medical costs down, yet others disagree.Do you think that competition In the healthcare business keeps prices down, pushes prices up, or has no effect on prices? Justify your response with examples. Discuss the positive or negative impacts of competition in healthcare on the patient.

5. Discussion Question

In the 1990s, it was considered, at best, unprofessional and, at worst, unethical for doctors or hospitals to promote themselves in advertising or marketing. Currently hospitals include marketing departments. Discuss three pros and cons of this new policy. Consider what would happen to a hospital if it did not advertise or market in any way. At what point would hospital advertising become unethical? Have you ever noted a hospital advertisement that you felt went "over the line?" What was it about that advertisement that you felt was wrong? Would advertising cause different effects in different parts of the country? Are there different ethical considerations for advertising in different parts of the country? Justify your viewpoint using examples.