Module Overview

In the last module, we examined current safety and quality concerns within

the United States health care system. In this module, we will turn our

attention to a rapidly changing health care populace and the demands that

this shift will place on tomorrow’s health services leaders. To get there, let’s

quickly review the history of health care in the United States.

Before our understanding of infections and the spread of disease, the first

hospitals were not places of healing; rather, they were places where the sick

poor could be effectively removed from society. Located on the outskirts of

town, these facilities were largely staffed by criminals and those at the very

tirelessly to not only identify the wounded, but to contact their families as

well. Wealthy and powerful people coming to visit their loved ones were

appalled at the conditions that they discovered. The ensuing reform was

swift. For the first time, money (and lots of it) flowed into the health care

system.

With this money came rapid technological advances. Antibiotics were

developed, x-rays were invented, and infection was finally understood.

Advancement after advancement awed the public, and the medical

profession earned the respect and trust of the American populace. Roll the

clock forward to modern times, and the developments and technological

landmark report on the dangers of cigarette smoking (as a side note, the

1964 report led Congress to develop the Surgeon General’s warning that

now appears on a variety of products, including tobacco). Although the

dangers of smoking have been fully known for decades, millions of

Americans continue this behavior.

As a 15-year follow-up to the 1964 report on smoking, the Surgeon

General’s office released its 1979 report on health promotion and disease

prevention. The report made mention of this nation’s great progress in the

field of medical advances; however, there was a large disconnect between

the level of technology and the actual health of the public. The Surgeon

General report expressed the need for Americans to be more proactive in

their overall health, an appeal that is perhaps made even more loudly today.

The 1979 report issued by the Surgeon General was the precursor of the

Healthy People initiatives. To date, there have been two finalized reports—

Healthy People 2000 and Healthy People 2010. These reports have found

similar results. There is a huge divide between the level of medical advances

it will certainly be an uphill battle.

Scienceran an article about the pills of the future. The pills that the article

suggested would be invented shortly were 1) cancer vaccine, 2) male birth

control, 3) anti-addiction, 4) exercise, 5) anti-aging, and 6) a pill to make you

smart. If these were invented, it would certainly seem that prevention

would not be needed; as such, behaviors need not be modified. Eat, drink,

and be merry, for tomorrow we shall simply take a pill.

In this week’s readings, we will examine the findings of the most recent

2010 Healthy People initiative. While there were some lauded

achievements, there were also some discouraging findings. Also, we will

look at how to lead health organizations in spite of a rapidly changing

References

healthpromotionanddiseaseprevention.Retrieved from

http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/NN/B/B/G/K/

U.S. Surgeon General (1964). The1964reportonsmokingand

health.Retrieved

fromhttp://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/ps/retrieve/Narrative/NN/p-nid/60