Not only has the economic elements in the US impacted on many sectors of the economy but also has affected the health delivery system. The key elements in the economy that have had an impact on the health care service delivery include financing, delivery, payment as well as the insurance. These elements have had a great impact towards the delivery of health care services in the U.S.
More often than not, health care needs costly diagnostic procedures as well as tests. Financing is a necessary requirement in obtaining insurance and helps in ensuring that the health care services are paid for. Insurance is yet another key element that has impacted greatly on the health care service delivery. Insurance protects the persons who have been insured against risks when there is a need for expensive health care services (Bloomfield, 2003). Delivery involves the provision of health care services, mostly by the physicians, optometrists as well as suppliers of medical facilities. Most providers tend to provide services to those who have been insured. Therefore, the factors mentioned above have had a bigger influence on the delivery of health care services.
Competition for physicians among the hospitals has resulted from the fact that these individuals are directly into contact with patients. As a result they tend to recommend certain hospitals for health care service provision. For hospitals to increase on the number of patients they have to lias with the physicians who would direct them to these hospitals. As a result of the demand for the physicians, hospital costs takes an upward trend as the doctors would want spare capacity to suit their personal needs.
Factors for stiff market competition in the health care field
Some of the factors that have contributed towards the stiff competition within the health care sector lies with the fact that there is demand for patients in hospitals. Most Americans avoid going to hospitals due to the high living conditions (Stahl, 2004). The quality of service providers has also resulted into a stiff competition in the industry. Advertising has become highly visible in hospitals to attract more patients. Advertising increases hospital costs hence the charges on the patients becomes high, the physicians would earn more especially when they refer patients to hospitals.
References
Bloomfield, E. L. (2003). The impact of economics on changing medical technology with reference to critical care medicine in the United States. Anesthesia & Analgesia, 96(2), 418–425. Retrieved from http://www. anesthesia-analgesia.org/content/96/2/418.full.pdf
Stahl, M. J. (2004). Encyclopedia of health care management. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications.
