Research Paper Example on Healthcare in the United Kingdom and the USA

Introduction

The health care system in the United States and the UK are not only complex, but it has been transformed over time from what it used to be to what it currently is today. Today, there are very many changes that represent the drastic changes that have been recorded in the health system. Woods et al. (2013) established that the persistent need for quality in the global health care has led to the need for change in the health care systems of these two countries. In the United Kingdom, the need to establish a universally desirable best quality of care challenged health care providers to push for the improvement of the health care system.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

The health care systems of both these two countries represent two extremes with the United States having the largest private sector while the United Kingdom possess the largest private sector system. However, the two health care systems have experienced varying changes over the years which have been aimed to provide client-focused services. For instance, the American health care system has undergone policy changes which have been targeted at improving service delivery and access for all citizens.

According to Wilson and Yoshika (2007), the various policies which have been put in place help improve access to health care systems and services. For instance, there have been changes in the lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons policies due to the noted difficulties that they faced in accessing health care services. Demonstrably, there had been a disproportionate number of individuals from this particular groups seeking health care services. However, by the inception of the LGBPS policies, many individuals have gained access to health care services.

Historical and Cultural Influences that have contributed to Healthcare System in the United Kingdom and the USA.

The healthcare systems of most world countries have undergone numerous changes due to the historical and cultural influences which have taken place over the years (Fried, 2012). According to Light (2003), the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK was established after the World War II. There was a rising concern that there was a need to have a health care services available to all the citizens. However, this dream was not achieved because of the consistent professional opposition to the formation of NHS. There were also a number of public health care issues that derailed the aim of achieving accessible and affordable health care services to all the citizens.

Light (2003) further assert that the parliamentary system of governance provided extraordinary leadership during lobbying and advocacy of the implementation of the NHS project. The parliament acknowledged the importance of conceding power to other major stakeholders in the health care system if substantial progress was really going to be made.

Squires (2011) established that the United States is one of the most industrialized countries, but its health care system is under performing because of its fewer hospital beds and physicians. Surprisingly, the US spending on the health care system towers those of the other countries. The spending, prescription process and drug utilization appear to be the highest in the United States as compared to the other countries which exhibit lower expenditures.

Historically, health care spending in the United States has been high as compared to other countries. Berwick (2012) emphasizes the need to urgently bring down the cost of healthcare services in the United States to sustainable levels for both private and public players. Such a concern for cheaper health care services came as a result of the notably high cost of health care services and products in the United States.

According to Heymans (2016), the United Kingdom government had decided to privatize the NHS. However, they were well aware of the fact that decision was going to be unpopular. For that case, they chose the process of slowly privatizing NHS. Due to privatization, the services offered by NHS were no longer favorable since clients had to pay huge amounts for health care services.

According to Spicker (2014), there were evident cultural differences in the social classes in the United Kingdom. As a result, there was the unequal provision of health care services all over the entire country. As a result, children, especially from the lower social classes, suffered mainly from the infective and parasitic diseases. One of the possible explanation to the poor health status in the country is that poverty contributed heavily to ill health through poor dietetic nutrition, housing, and risky environments. In the nineteenth century, medical health care services were primarily privatized or provided voluntarily. Sickness became the main cause for the high levels of poverty in the United Kingdom. As a result, Poor Law authorities were adopted to develop hospitals for the sick. The number of health care settings began to grow after the formation of the Local Government Board.

In the United States, the abolition of slavery was meant to bring changes in the American society. However, the freed slaves did not enjoy the freedom for long because laws were soon implemented to help in hindering them from enjoying their rights. According to Thomas (2011), the implemented policies targeted specific areas like the health care system. African Americans were oppressed by the unjust healthcare policies which as a result hindered their ability to live fully and equally in the society like other white citizens. Segregation laws were implemented to separate blacks from the rest of the community.

Financial Strategies and Access to Healthcare in the United Kingdom and the USA

Most of the world countries have developed strategies which they use to finance their health care systems. In the United States, there is a wide public perception that the government should provide social insurance for public health care services. According to the Commonwealth report (2013) on International Care Systems, the UK provides for the health care services through the provision of the National Health services.

The establishment of the National Health Services (NHS) was one of the major social reforms which happened in the United Kingdom in 1946. The program became a significant pillar in the welfare if the state after the events of the World War II. Chang et al. (2008) state that the National Health Services takes the responsibility of funding the public healthcare sector in the UK. Before the adoption of this program, health care services were a preserve for people the wealthy class not unless one obtained free medical services from charity and teaching organizations. However, with the changes that were made in the health care sector and the adoption of the NHS, it became easier for low-income and unemployed individuals to access medical health care services.

Change et al. (2008) further point out that public health care services are provided for to all permanent residents. Health care is free for all the citizens, and it is financed through general taxation where an approximate 18 % of the citizens income is channeled to the health care system. The Commonwealth (2013) established that health care services is mainly case-based and is availed to all the registered citizens in every capacity with whether in self-employment or salary payments.

On the other end, The United States healthcare system is facilitated through funding from health insurance which finances personal health care expenses. Barnett and Vornovitsky (2015) established that a majority of the US citizens have private insurance through their employers. Other citizens obtain coverage through government insurance programs. It should also be noted that there are still U.S. citizens who do not have insurance coverage for their health care needs. The ratification of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) gave provisions which sought to provide affordable health care services for the citizens.

Medicaid and Childrens Health Insurance Program are insurance programs which have been set by the government to provide free or low-cost medical care services for people with low incomes, children, and people with disabilities. The U.S. government has also set up the Medicare health insurance programs which facilitate the health care needs of individuals aged 65 or those under the age of 65 but with certain disabilities.

Although there are very notable differences in the approach that the two countries have adopted in their healthcare systems, there are notable similarities between the two. For instance, in the two settings, there is a continuous improvement of technological aspects which are aimed at improving the quality and provision of services. Blumenthal (2010) provides an instance of the Obama administration which structured the HITECH Act so as to enhance the capabilities of qualified and certified Electronic Health Registers. This technological advancement gained importance and gave the health sector the impetus to achieve high efficiency and useful goals that mattered in the improvements in the health care system. On the other hand, Free et al. (2013) discuss the adoption of mobile technology health based interventions in the UK with the aim of improving health care services provided in the country.

Quality of Healthcare in the UK Compared to the US

According to Poulymenopoulou et al. (2012), emergency services are concerned with availing paramedical and medical services in the hospital or before getting admitted to a hospital. In general, emergency activities engage a series of coordinated activities which are interconnected to form a series of services provided before a patient is admitted for healthcare services in a hospital. Ideally, an effective emergency channel should provide for the...