The Future Challenges of Health Care in the United States

The Future Challenges of Health Care in the United States

Henry Avery

Professor Wanda Allen

Health Services Organization- HSA500

December 3, 2010

The Future of Health Care in the United States

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

The challenges involved in the health care system are so complex and, to extent, overwhelming. Through all the challenges, the health of our nation has continued to improve by most measurable standards. There are many serious concerns involved in assessing long-term disease, illness, and injury patterns in the United States.

Although the total mortality rate continues to drop and life expectancy continues to increase, there are concerns involving specific illnesses, diseases, injuries, and population groups. Differential mortality and morbidity between important population comparisons raise red flag about our limited successes for certain populations, and the challenges that we face (Williams and Torrens, 2010).

Among the top concerns in differential morbidity and mortality are significant race differences. These data, when combined with data related to differential measurements of access to, and quality of, care suggest that limits exist in the availability and use of health services to many individuals and groups within our population, especially those who are most vulnerable. Access considerations for these groups within our population are broad based and include financial access, such as the availability of individual financial resources, insurance plans, and entitlement programs. Often these entitlement programs mentioned are not widely available, are underfunded, or are poorly coordinated in areas of local needs (Williams and Torrens, 2010).

Another area of concern for these groups within the population are patients education, clinical preventive services, and targeted interventions to alleviate the long-term...