Healthcare In 1800s

In 18th century America, medicine was in a transition mode. While some pre-modern practices were still around, the 18th century saw the beginnings of a new modern medical practice. Replacing the passed down wisdom from the ancient world was clinical observation, the first American medical school, and experimental science, along with many physicians beginning to replace midwives. During the 18th century, a transition from pre-modern practices and theories to modern medical practice occurred because of medical education and the growth of hospitals, advances in medical procedures, and different types of medical practitioners.

Nursing care was unscientific and consisted of assisting patients with usual body functions; and was typically administered by women of a religious order or by women who by nature of their lifestyle frequented hospitals. Hospital care was for the poor and destitute; since home based medical care was better than risking additional infections in the dirty, crowded, and disease-ridden hospitals. During the typhus epidemic of 1852, hospital staff and patients suffered the greatest morbidity and mortality. (Ranade , 199817-19)

In the preindustrial era, 1800s, the United States fell behind other countries in health services. There was no medical training until around 1870 (Shi & Singh, 2013). Medical training began with students training under the supervision of physicians. Physicians saw patients by making house calls. Health care was delivered in a free market (Shi & Singh, 2013). No one had insurance so costs were out of pocket. For most Americans, this was a problem and some rural areas relied on folk medicine to heal the sick. The medical institutions during this era were not sanitized properly and nurses were not trained to practice safety and hygiene care. The government provided facilities for elderly, chronically ill patients, and clinics that offered free care.

One aspect of nursing that has changed since the early 1800’s is nursing education. There was no question about the credibility of the women providing care to soldiers after the war. For many years untrained nurses and consequently nursing students cared the sick without any supervision. In 1873, the need for educated nurses was sought but was opposed by untrained physicians who thought trained nurses would pose a threat to their jobs (Gary & Hott, 1988). “Nurses have evolved

The delivery of the U.S. healthcare system has changed drastically over the years from the inception of organized healthcare to today’s underdeveloped system. Prior to the 1920’s,

At this time there was no physician-patient relationship, this being due to the fact that physicians were there to treat the body and the general view was that patients were unable to provide accurate evidence without “feelings and emotions” getting in the way. This Era at the bottom line was about facts, evidence and physical direct ailments. The nursing profession was just starting to be developed in this Era. The “nurses” of this time were family members, nuns, priests, neighbors who were all untrained. The start of some of the founding nurses were seen such as Florence Nightingale. She started to look at sanitary conditions and nutrition, some might say she was the original nurse. Her contribution the start of nursing is very significant. She trained some of the first nurses during the Crimean War and with her training she was able to statistically show how sanitary conditions, cleanliness and nutrition were able to significantly decrease the death rate of Crimean soldiers. In Era I physicians really only took care of one part of the “human”, because as humans we are a composition of the physical, mental and soul. Those three parts are what give us humanity and higher thinking. So Era I does not create a fully encompassing view of medicine.

The healthcare system prior to 1950 has gone through several major changes to make it better. For example surgery now is better than surgery in the 1800s because people have made discoveries to make surgeries easier, faster and more safe to have a better chance of success.

There are four evolutionary phases in healthcare. The first phase was the preindustrial era, which started in the middle 18th century to the beginning of the 19th century. At this time, American medicine was not developing as fast as other countries; in Britain, France, and Germany, medical science and research was much more advanced than America. The postindustrial era began in the late 19th century, physicians in America were becoming more successful than others in the world. The third phase was the corporate era, which was marked by the growth of managed care, organizational integration, the information revolution and globalization. Finally, the fourth phase is the one in which we are in today, it is still fairly new and is characterized by the health care reform, which was brought about by the Affordable Care Act.

Health care has been inclined by several significant events that have occurred throughout history. Change is the primary focus on what has shaped health care and continues to by pain of improvement, and to focus on the importance of our population and their needs. Though there are several influences politics, finance, culture, technology, health trends, and religions they all play a major contribution towards shaping the healthcare field. (Shi & Singh, 2012) Throughout this paper we will present significant events that have changed and affected health care today, give details about how the historical evolution of health care

What aspects and characteristics of American health care of the 18th and 19th centuries have had a major impact on shaping today’s U.S. health care system?”

Healthcare industry in United States has been an important industry for a long time. It is one such industry that has representation from both public sector and private sector. The current health care system is segregated and fragmented in America. Some states have very effective and efficient healthcare system while some states lack the desired infrastructure. The evolution of healthcare system in USA can be traced back to 1750. The period from 1750 to 1849 is termed as preindustrial period where the care of sick people was primarily handled by families (Brian, 2010). The period of 1850 to 1969 is termed as postindustrial period which reflects the growth of organized medicine and systematic healthcare delivery.

Despite the different times in history, there is a similarity that is still ongoing today. Those who have little income or live in rural settings have trouble obtaining the health they need when an illness occurs. Hospitals are either too far to reach in time or the bills are too expensive to pay. Now, there are countries who offer free health care but it does not pertain to the land of America. America is based on money, and the old ways of paying back someone through bales of wheat or firewood just will not cut it.

Most of us are aware of the inadequacies of health care in the past.It is difficult to think of the old west without being reminded of the danger that bearing children posed to the women who lived during that period of time.A serious lack of knowledge about things such as bacteria, viruses, and the benefits of proper nutrition were to blame for countless unnecessary deaths.During the Civil War many amputations were needlessly performed because the use of simple antibiotics had not yet been made available. Many advances in the medical field have been made due to technology.

In the 19th century, healthcare was primarily delivered in the U.S.in a primarily unscientific method, often provided by family and friends in a very informal care system structure (Williams & Torrens, 2008). This resulted in much lower costs than are present in today’s system (Riggs, ed., 2015). At the beginning of the 20th century, some formal structure of healthcare and healthcare related education began to emerge, and first discussions regarding universal health care insurance began to be discussed publicly. In the early 1900’s physicians would perform home visits for patients and were more free to charge their own fee schedules (PBS, 2000). By 1910, half of the physicians in the U.S. had joined the American Medical Association (AMA)

Hospitals weren’t truly accepted by many as places to go to receive health care until the 18th and 19th Century. The first hospital was established and ran by deaconesses. This was a place where the poor without family and friends to take care of them would go. Most did not survive due to the lack of diagnosis and poor health status. The rich would hire women to move in and take care of the sick as well as cook and clean. These women were also used as wet nurses.