Public Health Issues

The Global Face of Healthcare

Statement of Thesis:

Finally this work will describe several different countries' public health systems and compare and contrast the similarities and differences noted as well as the political economic, service, expense and other major issues linked to the various structures and forms of the healthcare systems around the world. The various public health tradeoffs that are made on the societal level based on limited resources and competitive priorities will be briefly examined as well.

While the business world has streamlined processes and become more customer-centric the healthcare agency is seeking to do the same in becoming more 'patient'-centric in their processes within the industry. The face of healthcare is rapidly shifting. The administration segment of the healthcare industry is sucking wind to keep up with the changes that are so quickly changing the entire structure within hospitals and clinics throughout the world in an attempt to answer the need in healthcare in today's world. As pointed out by the report many healthcare workers claim that nothing was learned until they left the classroom further stated is that there exists a "critical problem with institutional learning..."

According to a report entitled "Pacific Rim Partnering Overview" there exists many healthcare companies not located in Japan that nevertheless want to gain access to the healthcare market in Japan. Japan's healthcare system is in the midst of a reform and Japan is also experiencing a large increase of competition from foreign companies. Bringing further changes to the political and economic landscape of the healthcare industry is Japan's implementation of certain initiatives of licensing, collaborative research, joint ventures and other common alliance strategies." (Strategic Research Institute Report, 2004) Japan's healthcare system is different from that of the U.S. In that the municipalities are responsible for the provision of basic healthcare while the "prefectures administer hospitals." The following graph labeled Figure 1.0 illustrates the regional healthcare market in 2002 as to the countries and their percentage of the market-share.

Priorities in the Healthcare Industry for 2005:

Stated as "action" priorities for the healthcare industry are the following:

Data-driven clinical care

Advanced disease management

Enhancing quality and outcomes in reporting

Accelerating technology implementation

Evolving toward electronic health records

Leveraging the Web to empower consumers

Finding new solutions to old problems through collaboration

Consolidation of functions to reduce overhead

Managing capacity

Addressing new market

Recognizing the problem of obesity.

The challenge is one, which is real in provisioning healthcare to poor third-world nations. Again collaboration is the only way that collectively the countries who are privileged with healthcare might work together to provide at least some semblance of basic healthcare to the poorer nations of the world.
Summary:

Considering the drive for electronic medical records and the expansion of globalization that is being experienced among countries of the world, those societies that are electronically privileged appear to be the countries that will benefit most from the IT explosion that is erupting in the healthcare industry on a worldwide basis.

Bibliography

Wechler, Jill (2004) Healthcare Issues 2005 Formulary on Highbeam Research Engine

Strategic Research Institute Report (2004) BioAsia Licensing and Deal-Making Summit: [Online available at http://www.srinnstitue.com/ApplicationFiles/Agenda / detailed_ae nda.cfm?program_id= 653&iteration_id=7568&person_id=28682]

Stevens, Andrew (2004) City Mayors: Local Government in Japan Online at http://www.citymayors.com/government/jap_locgov.html

HealthCare's Top Business Issues and Responses for 2005 A Capgemini Forecast.

Michigan Medical Examiner Database Initiative [Online available at http://www.ccrhhop.org/HealthSurveillance.htm#_ftnref1

Patient-Centered Learning Vs. Institutional Centered-Learning [Online available at http://www.health-care-reform.net/pt_cent-learn.htm

Medical Technologies and Healthcare: From Basic Technologies to Appellation (2004) United Press International April 2004 [Online available at http://www.openecg.net/WS2_proceedings/Session/S1.1_Keynote1_PR.pdf

Global Best Practices Among Themes at First Annual World Healthcare Innovations in Technology Congress Presented by the CNBC, Global Consultancy Booz Allen Hamilton. PR Newswire 23 June 2004 [Online at Highbeam Research]

Specialty Physicians Issue 2005 Legislative Agenda, Aim to reform Healthcare Systems; Doctors Call on New Congress, President Bush to Keep Campaign Promises, Reform Medical Liability and Medicare Systems (2004) PR Newswire 11 November 2004.

Bersch, Carren (2003) Legislative Visions Vary Among Healthcare Trade Organizations Washington Report Healthcare Purchasing News 1 March 2003.

Healthcare at the Forefront on Federal, State Levels: Congress Considers a Medicare Drug Benefit Plan while States Focus on Curbing Pharmaceutical Spending (2002) Formulary: Pulse on Policy - government actions and their impact for drug decision-makers. [Online available at Highbeam Research Library]

Patient-Centered Learning Vs. Institutional Center Learning (2004) World Health Education Initiative

http://www.health-care-reform.net/pt_cent_learn.htm

Managed Care Facts, Trends & Data (2004) The Health Intelligence Network Online available at http://www.hin.com2004-2005 Edition

Public Health Issues

Wechler, Jill (2004) Healthcare Issues 2005 Formulary on Highbeam Research Engine

Strategic Research Institute Report (2004) BioAsia Licensing and Deal-Making Summit: [Online available at http://www.srinnstitue.com/ApplicationFiles/Agenda/detailed_aenda.cfm?program_id=653&iteration_id=7568&person_id=28682]

City Mayors: Local Government in Japan Online at http://www.citymayors.com/government/jap_locgov.html