While reading about the specificities of the US healthcare system, several points stood out. First, the inaccessibility and expensiveness of healthcare in the country were concerning. Compared to the status the United States holds internationally, the frameworks for protecting its people from the disease are shockingly ineffective. As the book states, healthcare is unequal in access and only provides average outcomes at best (Shi & Singh, 2017). At the same time, the US remains among the wealthiest and most technologically advanced nations in the world. Therefore, the inability of the country to provide its people with high-quality, easily accessible healthcare appears strange. Each individual in the US is personally responsible for being able to afford medication, hospital visits, or other healthcare concerns. The surrounding social frameworks and systems of support are insufficient in promoting equitable outcomes for all classes of people. This arrangement is problematic when one considers both the health of the population as a whole and the racial-ethnic disparities in healthcare access. Some people in the country are inherently more capable of fulfilling their health needs, while others are left to rely upon themselves.
Another point that stood out to me is the relationship between culture and the systems of healthcare in the country. In particular, the relationship between a conservative, meritocratic worldview and access to healthcare services is interesting. Historically, much of the US believes that individuals are responsible for their future and well-being, disregarding the need for systematic support or improvement (Shi & Singh, 2017). However, as the text states, such beliefs are being challenged by an influx of new people and new perspectives. I think that this trend is beneficial to the development of the healthcare sphere, and the overall progression in the medical field. By understanding that communities and their people often require safeguarding and support to lead prosperous lives, it may be possible to change the healthcare sphere for the better.
References
Shi, L., & Singh, D. A. (2017). Essentials of the U.S. health care system. Jones & Bartlett Publishers.