Globalization Of Health And Its Impact On The Healthcare Industry

Every developed country around the globe is going through a lot of difficulties in providing better healthcare to its citizens. As stated by Norris (2002) the causes are universal and the increase in the percentage of elderly people which require better healthcare, the increasing cost of medical technology, patients' expectations of services and quality, and economic and social changes that reduce the state's ability to fund healthcare while increasing its involvement. All of these factors drive up costs and reduce equity of access (Norris, 2002).

Better quality health care will affect the life expectancy rate and the expenses. Patients expect doctors and hospitals to deliver the best possible care. The major issue with the quality of health care is “medical errors result from faulty systems… not individuals” (Hughes). In order to ensure patient safety and positive outcomes, hospitals have to assess for themselves the various different aspects they need to improve on. For example, hospitals could have a shortage ranging from staff, medication, or equipment. Through universal health care, “doctors… can focus on patient care”, which will aid in improving treatments for each individual (White). Along with this, there will be more government funding to improve hospitals as a means to help patients. Countries under universal health care coverage have a better quality of care, while the “United States [is ranked] last overall” (“Right to Health Care”). These benefits of medical treatments of universal health care are vital to American

Good health for all people has turned out to be an acknowledged global objective and the records reveal that there have been extensive achievements in life expectancy over the past century. However, there has been persistence in health disproportions between affluent and deprived despite the fact that the prospects for upcoming health trends depend more and more on the latest processes of globalization. In the previous times, globalization has frequently been observed as an economic process comparatively. At the present times, however, it is progressively perceived as a wide-ranging trend fashioned by a multitude of aspects and incidents that are restructuring and changing the format of our society swiftly (Huynen, Martens & Hilderink, 2005).

Globalization in healthcare is a topic that has been the subject of many debates worldwide. While practically the entire world is becoming a global village due to globalization, the healthcare industry was considered to be invulnerable to this trend. This was attributed to the fact that healthcare is a service industry, where service is delivered on area of purchase. However many developments not only in the healthcare industry but in the entire economical sphere as a whole have seen the aspects of globalization. As a result globalization in the healthcare industry is a common phenomenon in the contemporary world. As the healthcare industry across global boundaries becomes increasingly intertwined,

Globalization involves the movement of people, food, goods from one place to another. And in the process of countries integrating, people and goods move from one location to another. In as much as there is positive impact for people, goods and services to move from one country to another. There are chances that the people, goods and service in a county can be infected and taken across the border to another country. In the course of globalization people move from one country to another and they might have contacted diseases or the product that they are carrying across the border. Diseases such as AIDs, tuberculosis, malaria are the top among the list of the disease that is usually carried by people. But just as globalization increases the frequency and ease with which diseases can move around the world, it also can improve access to the medicines, medical information, and training that can help treat or cure these diseases. Drug companies and governments now have the ability to ship drugs to remote parts of the world affected by outbreaks of diseases. There are various options that can be used to lower the spread of global disease. Most countries usually have screening borders to check the people, food and

Access to quality healthcare is the one of the top stories in international news today. Most countries around the world are finding different ways to control cost and delivery quality healthcare to its populations. Most countries have the difficult task of offering quality healthcare at an affordable price, without crashing the financial market within the countries. With a growing population and an elderly demographic that are living longer, this has caused a strain on healthcare resources that has a high cost on the economy that is limited. In the United States “Universal Healthcare” is a concept that was introduced to Americans since Bill Clinton has been President. Along with the United States, other countries are preparing for a

In healthcare system the highest quality medical care means” the greatest benefit to patients at the lowest possible cost” (Burke & Ryan, 2014, p. 3). “The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) defines quality health care as doing the right thing for the right patient, at the right time, in the right way to achieve the best possible results” (NCQA, p. 3) According to American college of physicians, the single most reason for the health care cost is higher healthcare spending. There are several factors involved in the high health care cost such as inappropriate use of technologies, lack of patient centered care, overuse of the reimbursement, excessive price for health care facilities, increased organizational cost, and health accountability are some of the reasons for increased health care cost. In order to decrease the cost, the available health resources be used judiciously and equitably. Understanding these factors and identifying the potential factors of health care costs assists in providing quality and effective services and thus improves the health outcomes (ACP, 2009).

The documentary present by PBS “Sick Around the World” gave an insightful look to what other country’s healthcare systems are compared to the US. The film took a closer look at the healthcare systems of Great Britain, Japan, Germany, and Taiwan. Comparing all these country’s healthcare systems, the components in common are that it’s universal, fixed prices for medical treatment, and majority of providers believe that the citizens pay too little for healthcare. The problem with the issues changing the American healthcare system is that the culture of the US is individualistic, meaning we are grown to focus on ourselves, not the others around us. Changing the system, allowing healthcare to be universal is a problem to individuals because

In light of these new traits of the society, the health care sector must develop itself and address the new needs of the society. Furthermore, these new needs are not only shaped by the changes in the life style of the population, but other traits as well. For instance, at a demographic level, it is noted that the population ages at a rapid rate and requires more health care. Then, at an economic level, it is noted how the internationalized economic crisis poses new threats and limits the population's access to health care.

The cost of care has been a growing problem throughout developed nations during the last 15 years. For example, across 34 nations that make up the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the average per capita health care expenditure increased by more than 70 percent between 2000 and 2010. However, the biggest spenders — such as

There is a fixed number of doctors graduating and also there is a fixed number of students entering schools of medicine. There is a great number of americans who studied medicine abroad but until they do not pass the USMLE test they are not allowed to practice medicine in the US. To attend this problem, One move would be to open more medical schools in the United States but the American Association of Medical Colleges control the number of medicals schools that are in operation. (Getzen, 2013). Also, doing so could translate in a lesser quality of medical services. The other move could be reducing the barriers that foreign medical graduates need to address to be able to practice medicine in the USA. Still, we could be compromising the quality of medical

In any country, external forces can influence or shape the basic character of a healthcare delivery system (Shi, 2015). These forces consist of political climate of a nation, economic development, technological processes, social and cultural values, physical environment, population characteristics such as demographic and health trends, global

The healthcare system plays a key role in the economic stability of our country, as every year trillions are spent in attempt to combat disease and health issues that plaque humanity. As it makes up a significant amount of the expenditures in the economy, so the costs associated with health care of those in pain from illness and injury, including lost productivity, increased need of assistance in living and also the cost of death in some cases, is important to the economic stability and over all standard of living in our country. The key to economic prosperity is balancing the need for care with the costs of illness to keep as many people healthy and well without breaking the bank of collective society. The costs of healthcare have been increasingly problematic in recent years with so many issues surrounding the current system. With the “total health care spending in the United States expected to reach $4.8 trillion in 2021, up from $2.6 trillion in 2010 and $75 billion in 1970, meaning that health care spending will account for nearly 20 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), or one-fifth of the U.S. economy, by 2021” (Aetna). With this in mind it is apparent that as we look at the trillion-dollar industry of the medical community it seems that it needs to be a major focus of our nation as a whole and with the many issues come many creative solutions. First let us analyze the reasons behind the current cost and the major problems facing this industry and than discus what

Centuries ago, a famous Greek philosopher, Heraclitus disputed conventional wisdom that things will always stay the same. Using the flow of the river as an example, Heraclitus describes the changes that were going on the time a fluid. He challenged the Greek leadership to acknowledge these changes or risk their global dominance. Two thousand years later, modern civilization is facing the same challenges. A rapid improvement in technology compounded with an increase in global competition has given rise to the emergence of change in most major industries. One industry were change has become inevitable is the health care industry. Today, there are increasing calls from management experts to a change the health care system to one that can

The desire to save money can be a big concern for the medical tourist. A patient may not deem it feasible to travel abroad for only a $300 savings on a medical service. It is estimated that less than 10% of patients will travel abroad to save $500 to $1,000 and about 10% would travel abroad to save $1,000 to $2,400 (Herrick 2007, p. 5). It is estimated that more than 30% of uninsured patients will travel abroad to save over $10,000 (Herrick 2007, p. 5). Research states that cost fluctuates in regards to medical services provided based on the country. Herrick (2007) states, “medical care in Panama is 40 - 70% less expensive than in the United states” (p. 6). This large