The rapid change in pace of today’s health system to improve patient experiences and effectiveness of medicine is overwhelming for those who provide aid to public and private populations. The challenges of new value-based reimbursement models and providing more integrated care, creates new hurdles for health care management teams to overcome. New populations and new communities require transformation to emphasize vulnerable populations, the integration of technology to prevent care gaps, and creating a multi-provider delivery system.

The two main objectives of the U.S. health care delivery system are to (1) Enable all citizens to access health care services and (2) Provide services that are cost effective and meet established standards of quality.

The four key components of the health care delivery are (1) Financing (2) The care team (3) Insurance (4) The payment.

Case Assignment

After completing the required readings, you should have a basic understanding of the characteristics and components of the United States health care delivery system. Understanding how the health care system works and evolves provides health care administrators and leadership with awareness of the position of their organization and facilitates compliance with health regulations.

1. Discuss in detail each component of the U.S. delivery system, its function, and how it supports the delivery of care.
2. Describe three external forces that affect health care delivery.
3. Discuss and expound on five characteristics of the United States health care delivery system that differentiate the U.S. from other countries.
4. View the National Health Security Preparedness Index for your state. You may access the health care delivery tab by 1) Selecting the link below 2) Selecting “By State” at the bottom of the page 3) Select 2019 4) Select the state in which you reside 5) Scroll down and select health care delivery. Describe if your state's overall score is: 1. Above national average 2. Meets national average 3. Below national average in accordance with the key noted. Discuss three areas under the health care delivery tab that need improvement and provide suggestive remediation efforts to improve each.