Critical Analysis of US Healthcare System: Chapters 3 and 4

This assignment is a critical reflection paper analyzing the US healthcare system, based on chapters 3 and 4 of a textbook. The paper begins with a brief overview of the chapters, which discuss the historical transitions of the healthcare system from the pre-industrial era to the present, and the demographic composition of the healthcare workforce. The critique section provides feedback on the chapters, highlighting the historical journey of the healthcare system and the present composition of the healthcare workforce. The paper then explores learning on healthcare evolution and medical services, including the privatization of healthcare. The application section discusses how future healthcare professionals can apply the knowledge gained to advocate for public transparency in healthcare reform. The paper also covers the knowledge required by healthcare administrators. The author shares personal thoughts on the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and concludes by emphasizing the need for improvements in healthcare reforms and further research on the impact of cultural diversity in the healthcare workforce. The assignment also includes references to supporting literature.

Running head: HEALTHCARE IN THE UNITED STATES
HEALTHCARE IN THE UNITED STATES
Name of the Students:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1HEALTHCARE IN THE UNITED STATES
Introduction
Chapter 3 paves the way for an interesting reading regarding the historical transitions
experienced by the nation’s healthcare system, from an underdeveloped, disarrayed system
during the pre-industrial era to an organized system of government-run, public health reform
measures comprising of optimum technological advancements. Chapter 4, on the other hand,
provides an outlook into the demographic composition of the healthcare workforce of the nation,
one of the largest groups of working professionals within the United States (Shi & Singh, 2014).
Critique
Feedback: Upon reading Chapter 3, a useful perspective to be learned, is the historical
journey encountered by the healthcare system which has transformed it into a patient-centered
service aimed at overall public health improvement (Shi & Singh, 2014). However, in criticism,
this chapter however did not provide insights in the positive impacts of healthcare equity exerted
by the Affordable Care Act (Sommers et al., 2017). Likewise, Chapter 4, assists in understanding
the present composition of the healthcare workforce and the ongoing crisis of increased care
burden, rising healthcare costs and disproportionate generalists-specialists population (Shi &
Singh, 2014). However, in criticism, there is no information on the impact of infiltration of
health professions from culturally diverse communities on present day functioning of the
healthcare workforce (Nichols, Horner & Fyfe, 2015).
Learning on Healthcare Evolution: From Chapter 3, one can learn on how the
healthcare system has evolved throughout the ages from a system which lacked any form of
specialist or institutional care to one which is now dominated by extensive advancements in

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technology and a rising trend of multiculturalism in clinical practice. At present, conflicts prevail
concerning the transition of private medical insurance to one which is controlled by the
government (Shi & Singh, 2014).
Learning on Medical Services: Pre-industrial Era medical services were filled with
substandard quality specialist and institutional care. Post-industrial era in comparison, witnessed
the transformation of healthcare services to include increased sovereign and private practice by
professionals due to technological and educational reform and a rising trend of individuals living
away from their families (Shi & Singh, 2014).
Application: The privatization of healthcare throughout the ages, without any
consideration of consumer perspectives is the key knowledge which one can gain from Chapter 3
(Shi & Singh, 2014). Thus, future healthcare professionals like nurses can apply this knowledge
by advocating for the need to inculcate public transparency in an Era of Healthcare Reform, so
that citizens are not kept in the dark as to what contributes to the taxes and penalties paid in the
name of policy and reform (Buerhaus et al., 2017).
Health Care Administrator Knowledge: Since Healthcare Administrators are recruited
across various organizational levels for the purpose of managing and leading healthcare staff,
they must be aware of the functions and fields of specialization of various Healthcare Services
Professionals employed in the organization’s departments and levels (Shi & Singh, 2014).
Personal Thoughts: This Chapter indeed changed my perceptions on present issues of
medical practice. Initially, I was under the perception that an increasing ageing population
contributed to high physician demand and shortage in medical practice. However, I learned that

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the ACA’s subsidies paved the way for an inflow of patients whose chronic conditions had been
left untreated for prolonged periods.
Conclusion
These chapters provided key insights on the current issues in healthcare reforms and
disproportionate healthcare workforce in the United States. There is a need to improvise current
healthcare reforms from a public health perspective rather than consideration of political interests
of opposing federal parties . Further, further research is needed on the impact of cultural
diversity in demographics of the healthcare workforce on national health outcomes.

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References
Buerhaus, P. I., Skinner, L. E., Auerbach, D. I., & Staiger, D. O. (2017). State of the registered
nurse workforce as a new era of health reform emerges. Nursing Economics, 35(5), 229-
237.
Nichols, P., Horner, B., & Fyfe, K. (2015). Understanding and improving communication
processes in an increasingly multicultural aged care workforce. Journal of Aging
Studies, 32, 23-31.
Shi, L., & Singh, D. A. (2014). Delivering health care in America. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Sommers, B. D., Maylone, B., Blendon, R. J., Orav, E. J., & Epstein, A. M. (2017). Three-year
impacts of the Affordable Care Act: improved medical care and health among low-
income adults. Health Affairs, 36(6), 1119-1128.