Running head: U.S. Health 1
U.S. Healthcare System
HCA 497 Health Care Studies Capstone
Instructor: Jennine Kinsey
September 9, 2013
U.S. Healthcare 2
U.S. Healthcare System Many people believe that the current of health care in the United States is the best health care in the world however it has major shortcomings that has become more visible for the whole world to see. The United States has the most expensive health care system in the world based on health expenditure per capita and on
Defensives medicine practice is the practice of diagnostic or therapeutic measures conducted primarily not to ensure the health of the patient but to safeguard the physician against the possible malpractice lawsuit through wrong doing and the fear of litigation has been the driving force behind defensive medicine practicing by physician throughout America healthcare system. According to study 2005 done by JAMA over 90 percent of physician in the surveyed admitted to practicing defensive medicine to protect them from unwanted malpractice lawsuit (JAMA, 2005). This is one of the factors that has driving up the cost of care in America healthcare system and most physician will continue to practice this form of medicine for the years to come. Cost is the main
U.S. Healthcare 5 reason why so many American can afford healthcare insurance because the cost is passed along to the insurer in higher premium cost to insurance a person or their family. In a study done in Massachusetts physician stated that between 20 percent and 30 percent of x-ray, CT scan, MRI ultrasound and specialty were ordered primarily for defensive medicine practices to prevent malpractice lawsuit ((Hermer &