Unequal access to care and compromised efficiency of the healthcare system are two serious problems faced by American society. This tendency leads to the situation when millions of citizens do not have access to high-quality treatment due to lack of insurance coverage and its high cost. Advanced practice nurses should take all available opportunities to bring public attention to the problem and advocate for major healthcare reform.
The source of the inadequacy of American medicine lies in the principles of organization of the system and its structure. Most of the expenses associated with medical treatments in the United States are covered by private insurance companies, and citizens need to purchase an insurance plan (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2017). The profit-oriented nature of private insurance and high costs create a problem, leaving millions of people uninsured (Sawyer & McDermott, 2019). The medical system in the United Kingdom is different in two significant ways: it is free for all citizens, and it does not rely on private insurance companies (Childers, 2016). The British government finances healthcare with money from general taxation. As a result, all citizens are given equal access to medicine, and the system is more efficient due to its centralization. Fixing the situation in American healthcare requires changes at a profound level and major reformation of the whole system. Nurses should advocate for medical reform in the country with a focus on equal access and cost-efficiency of care.
Reliance on private insurance companies leads to compromised efficiency of American healthcare and results in unequal access to medicine. The situation in the United Kingdom can be used as a good example of a structural model for a centralized medical system financed by the government. The reformation of American medicine and its reorganization at a fundamental level is required to ensure equality in such an important domain.
References
Childers, C. (2016). US and UK Healthcare System Comparison [Video file]. Web.
Kaiser Family Foundation (2017) Summary of the American Health Care Act [PDF document]. Web.
Sawyer, B. & McDermott, D. (2019). How does the quality of the U.S. healthcare system compare to other countries? Web.