Introduction
The history of health care in the United States can be traced from back in 1920s. The health care system has evolved over the decades from basic medical discoveries to most cutting-edge and complex system. These discoveries have contributed to expansion and improvement of health care. For instance, the invention of adhesive bandage in 1923 while the first cancer hospital was opened in New York City in 1921. During this period, vitamin D was commercially synthesized and manufactured for consumption in US. In 1929, the first air ambulance was launched.
In 1931, the first antiacid was in supply in the US, following the introduction of yellow fever vaccine in 1932. In 1932 the polio vaccine was introduced together with the insurance cover for the health care. Later after one year, a non-profit insurance firm, Blue Cross, began its operations. The social security law was signed by D. Roosevelt in 1935 and later signed the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938. This resulted to expansion of the Food and Drug Administration powers to control drugs. The first regulation to license hospitals was exercised in 1938 in Arkansas and Texas following the establishment of National Institute of Mental health.
During 1940s, various developments in the health care were encountered. This included passing of the Lanham Act in 1941, which enhanced the US government to provide funds and aid to the non-profit and private hospitals. Later in 1944, the G.I. bill was enacted to assist war veterans to readopt the civilian life. In 1947, the Hill Burton Act and National Mental Health Act were signed. In 1947, the first television broadcast of surgery was practiced. In 1948, the World Health Organization was established.
Between 1950 and 1970, great advances and development in the U.S. health care system were experienced. This included the passing of Medicaid and Medicare bills into law, discovery of polio vaccine, and the invention of CT scan. Other advances included the first open heart surgery by the use of lung and heart machine. In 1970, the Poison Prevention Packaging Act was passed in effort protect children aged below 5 years from consumption of products such as aspirin. In 1977, the Health Care Financing Administration, today known as CMS was created to administer Medicaid and Medicare programs.
Between 1980s and 2000s, great advancement of the health care in US was encountered. The advancement and development during this period included the passing of the Americans with Disabilities act, eradication of global small pox, and passing of the HIPAA privacy rule.the Needlestick Safety and prevention act was enacted to prevent needlestick injuries. Later in 2005, the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act was passed into law. Currently in 2010, the health care plan bill was signed into law by President Obama.
The major historical events of hospitals in Cuba
In 19th century, Cuba hospitals were using the Chinese medicine, famously performed by Doctor Cham Bom Biam. By the beginning of this century, Cuba has been applying then modern Western medicine and the doctors performed the first surgical clinic in 1823. Between 1898 and 1902, the US presence helped the Cuba health care to eradicate the yellow fever.
In 1960s, the revolution of the succeeding US impediment against Cuba led to increase in infant mortality and diseases in the country. The government emphasized on universal healthcare plan as a priority of state planning. The aims of future Cuban healthcare were outlined by a physician and revolutionary, Che Guevara. However, this aims led to migration of almost half of the physicians from Cuba to United States leaving the country with only 16 professors and 3,000 doctors.
The health care program in Cuba was enshrined in 1976 under the revised constitution. After the emphasis on this health care program, the ratio of doctor to patient in Cuban hospitals increased from 1958 to 1999. The ratio of doctors to patients was 9.2 doctors to 1000 members of the public, but increased to 58.9 doctors per 10,000 inhabitants later in 1999. In 2007, Cuba health sector embraced the use of computerization and state networks in Nephrology, Blood Banks and Medical images. It was the second country to supply such product after France.
In addition, planning in Hospital Management System, Computerized Health Register, Academic Affairs, Primary Health care, Neural Sciences, Medical Genetic projects, and Educational Software were launched. In order to increase and advance the health services and products in Cuba, the government had currently improved research-development programs. The access to Data transmission and Health Website has been enhanced to all workers in the national health sector to increase efficiency.
Compare and contrast the history of the US and Cuba hospital systems.
In Cuba, the government is charged with the responsibility of operating a national health system and works to guarantee fiscal and administrative roles of healthcare to the citizens. On the other hand, this goes in line with the universal health system bill that was passed under president Obama of the United States to allow for healthcare to all citizens without discrimination under any circumstances. The Cuban government has initiated programs and new activities in the health sector therefore making the country to reflect a low disease and infant mortality as compared with the United States.
In the history of the development hospitals and health care in Cuba, it is noted that the Cuban government never allowed nor supported private hospitals and clinics in the country. The entire health services were carried out by the government and law unauthorized ownership of health facilities by the private organizations or individuals. The U.S government on its side has no any problem for private ownership of the hospitals provided that the agencies abide with the ownership laws as outlined in the constitution.
In the history of the development of health care in the U.S and in Cuba, the two countries merged together to combine efforts so that they could eradicate yellow fever. This was between 1898 and 1902 and was brought on scene with the Cuban doctors that included Carlos Finlay, Walter Reed and jams Carroll. The U.S brought to scene Clara Maass and surgeon Jesse William who helped in eradicating yellow fever condition in the population.
In my analysis, I came to notice that there are differences between the Cuba and U.S healthcare system. This is because Cuba health statistics are almost similar to those of the United States but only that they have a low cost in preventive and primary care. It can be noted that Cuba have a high doctor-patient ratio as compared with the U.S as it produces a lot of health practitioners. Cuba has a socialist approach where education guarantees that human resources will be used to provide preventive medicine and healthcare to all.
Another difference that comes in is about the costs of medical education between the two countries. In Cuba, the medical education is free of charge and individuals are trained provided that they have qualified to pursue medical careers. This comes with a regulation that the qualified doctors must serve the public for two years without payment. On the other hand, this is contrary, since the U.S experiences higher medical training costs and does not greatly concentrates with primary healthcare. This created a deficit of physicians but the Obama administration is working to reverse this culture by encouraging the training colleges to admit many medical students and also offer loans to the students that can sponsor their education.
The most common similarities between the two countries are that both health systems have adopted preventative and specialized centers for treatments, promote health campaigns, conduct health education, provide vaccinations and prevent epidemics outbreaks.
References
Harlow, J. (2007). Eight decades of healthcare. Retrieved from the Hospitals and Health Networks Web site: http://www.hhnmag.com/hhnmag/html/timeline.html
About the American Hospital Association. (2010). Retrieved from the American Hospital Association's Web site: http://www.aha.org/aha/about/index.html
Hirschfeld, K. (2007). Health, politics, and revolution in Cuba since 1898. New Brunswick, N.J: Transaction Publishers.
CDC timeline. (2009). Retrieved from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/about/history/timeline.html
About the American Medical Association (AMA). (2011). Retrieved from the American Medical Association Web site: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/about-ama.shtml
