Public and Private-Based Quality Initiatives and the Role They Play in US Healthcare

Discussion: US Healthcare
Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course Title
Instructor
Date
Discussion: US Healthcare
The roles of public and private-based quality initiatives in U.S. healthcare are evolving over time with neoclassical economics of the 19th century playing a significant role in reforms (Hsu, 2010). In low and middle-income economies, the private sector is argued to provide better healthcare services in terms of efficiency, sustainability, and accountability compared to the public sector (Basu, Andrews, Kishore, Panjabi & Stuckler, 2012). Compared to public healthcare initiatives, patients tend to perceive private-based care as more user-friendly, more confidential, and time-saving (Montagu et al., 2011). However, since private healthcare services have no direct government control, they may include unqualified providers and empirical evidence suggests that the quality of services provided is inconclusive (Montagu et al., 2011).
The public under the United States Public Health Service and other departments surveys America’s health needs, enacts laws and policies, supports medical research, provides technical resources and assistance, and protects Americans from international health threats (Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Assuring the Health of the Public in the 21st Century, 2002). Public healthcare is open to everyone as a public service. This implies that those without an insurance cover can still access public healthcare services without going through the expensive channels of private care. However, the private initiatives have also ensured innovative solutions in healthcare speed, efficiency in service delivery, and quality of service (Fidler, 2009). The private sector has also expanded access to care in the United States as observed by International Finance Corporation (n.d). This has been achieved through inclusive health models that have covered the poor majority without access to basic services.
The elimination of either the public or private initiatives will cripple access to care and the quality of patient care. For instance, the public through its regulatory roles labels hazardous substances through its agencies to safeguard the lives of Americans. In addition, through programs such as Medicaid and Medicare, the government is able to finance health services. This explains the importance of public initiatives in Americans’ healthcare sector. The private sector also contributes to financing healthcare and monitoring the quality of services accessed by the public. Programs that have a...