US Healthcare Transformation: Changes in Models of Care Over 30 Years

This essay explores the changes in healthcare models in the US over the past 30 years, highlighting the positive impact on the healthcare system, including decreased mortality rates for heart diseases. It discusses the evolution of organizational structures, alternative payment models, and the rise of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). ACOs have enhanced healthcare approaches through initiatives like advance payment models and the Medicare shared savings program, supporting smaller hospitals. While ACOs offer benefits like care coordination and improved communication, challenges such as investment burdens and bureaucratic requirements pose threats to smaller community hospitals. The essay also notes the increased responsibilities on stakeholders, particularly physicians, and the lack of proper health standards as potential hindrances. Overall, it concludes that ACOs have had a positive impact on US healthcare, promoting healthy lifestyles and effective communication among stakeholders.

Running head: CHANGES IN MODELS OF CARE
TOPIC: CHANGES IN MODELS OF CARE
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Over the past 30 years, the change in the various healthcare models had a positive impact
on the healthcare system of US. There had been significant decrease in age adjusted mortality
rates in patients suffering from coronary and heart diseases despite of improvement gaps seen
earlier (Sidney et al., 2018). There has been changes in organizational structure by merging
the physician practices with alignment of the ethical rules of the hospital. Even alternative
payment models for high medical expenses have been successful in development of new
approaches to care management. It has also unified nurses over the past years, by achieving
seamless care and effective group management.
Over the years, there has been over 1000 Accountable Care Organizations ACO) which
serve almost 32 million people. ACO s have enhanced the various approaches of health care
through their initiatives like the advance payment models (APO), the Medicare shared
savings program (MSSP), and the pioneer ACO programs. These programs have enhanced
the sustenance of small hospitals thus increasing their chances of survival. Potential benefits
involved in ACO s are care coordination among the staff, and improvement in
communication with other providers. However in the past 30 years cons like inability of
coping investments along with referral restrictions and bureaucratic requirements have
emerged as potential threats to the mushrooming of smaller community hospitals (Nath et al.,
2016).
Changes in the existing models of care among stakeholders have brought a lot of changes
in healthcare systems. A healthy lifestyle as recommended by the recent model of care
suggests that healthy lifestyles alongside meaningful interactions as well as group
interventions and effective communication have been achieved (Arena et al., 2015). A group
of research stakeholders involving knowledge intermediaries, fundraisers, policymakers have
been benefitted from the changes (Greenhalgh et al., 2016). However, the rising of ACO s
have increased the burden of responsibilities on stakeholders especially physicians which is

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having negative impact on them. Lack of proper health standards by the contemporary
models of care is becoming another potential hindrance on the success of stakeholders.
Hence, it can be concluded that overall the effect of Accountable Care Organisations have a
positive impact on the healthcare of US over the past 30 years.

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