The healthcare system of a nation is influenced by external factors, including the political climate, stage of economic development, technologic progress, social and cultural values, the physical environment, and population characteristics such as demographic and health trends. It follows, then, that the combined interaction of these environmental forces influences the course of health care delivery in the United states.

The main characteristics of the U.S health care systems :

No central governing agency and little integration and co-ordination Technology driven delivery system focusing an acute care High on cost, unequal in access, average in outcome. Delivery of health care under imperfect market condition Legal risks …show more content…
In the United states access is restricted to those who 1) have health insurance, through thier employers 2) are covered under a government health care program 3) can afford to buy insurance out their own private funds 4) and are able to pay for services privately.

Imperfect market condition :

Under national health care programs, patients have varying degrees of choice in selecting their providers however true economic market forces are virtually nonexistent. In USA even though the delivery of services is largely in private hands,health care is only partially governed by free market forces. The delivery and consumption of health care in the United states do not quite meet the basic tests of a free market. Hence the system is best described as a quasi-market or an imperfect market.

Government as subsidiary to the private sector :

In most other developed countries, the government plays a central role in the provision of health care. In USA however primary sector plays the dominant role. This can be explained to some degree by the American tradition of reliance on individual responsibility and a commitment to limiting the power of the national Govenment. As a result government spending for health care has been largely confined to filling in the gaps left open by the private sector. These gaps include environmental protections support for research and training and care of vulnerable …show more content…
Although this model gained popularity with the expansion of managed care, the models development stalled before reaching its full potential. The envisioned role for primary care would include integrated health care by offering comprehensive, co-ordinated and continous services with a seamless delivery. Furthermore the model emphasizes the importance of the patient provider relationship and how it can best function to improve the health of each individual and thus strengthen the population. Integral to the relationship is the concept of accountability . Accountability on the provider behalf means ethically providing quality health care in an efficient manner. On the patient behalf it means safeguarding ones own health and using avialable resources sensibly.

Access to health care services is selectively based on insurance coverage :

Unlike countries with national health providing universal access the united states access to health care services is limited. Access is granted to individuals who 1) have health insurance through their employers 2) are covered under a government health care program 3) can afford to buy insurance with their own private funds 4) can pay for service privatelty. Although the United states offers some of the best medical care in the world, this care is often available only to individuals with health insurance plans