Disease Trends and the Delivery of Healthcare Services

Disease Trends and the Delivery of Health Care Services

Sophronia Bonita Mckee

HCA/240

University of Phoenix

5/26/13

Disease Trends and the Delivery of HealthCare Services

The health care delivery system of today has undergone tremendous change, even over

the relatively short period of the past decade. New and emerging technologies, including drugs,

devices, procedures, tests, and imaging machinery, have changed patterns of care and sites where

care is provided. The growth in ambulatory surgery has been influenced by improvements in

anesthesia and analgesia and by the development of noninvasive or minimally invasive

techniques. Procedures that formerly required a few weeks of convalescence now require only a

few days. New drugs can cure or lengthen the course of disease, although often at increased cost

or increased utilization of medical practitioners needed to prescribe and monitor the effects of the

medications. Over the past decade, both public and private organizations such as the CDC and

WHO have made great strides in identifying causes of disease and disability, discovering

treatments and cures, and working with practitioners to educate the public about how to reduce

the incidence and prevalence of major diseases and the functional limitations and discomfort

they may cause. Clinical practice guidelines have been created and disseminated to influence

providers to follow recommended practices. Public education campaigns urge consumers to

comply with behavioral recommendations such as exercising and losing weight and treatment

regimens take your medications that may help to prevent or control diseases and their

consequences.

It is amazing how much the healthcare delivery services have changed and improved

over the years. Today, the health care systems have advanced by prolonging life expectancy and

quality of life. Though, providing health care is...