Policy Challenges in Modern Health Care

by Lynn B. Rogut, James R. Knickman, David Mechanic, Rosemary A. Stevens, Norman Daniels

Overview

Health care delivery in the United States is an enormously complex enterprise, and its $1.6 trillion annual expenditures involve a host of competing interests. While arguably the nation offers among the most technologically advanced medical care in the world, the American system consistently under performs relative to its resources. Gaps in financing and service delivery pose major barriers to improving health, reducing disparities, achieving universal insurance coverage, enhancing quality, controlling costs, and meeting the needs of patients and families.

Bringing together twenty-five of the nation’s leading experts in health care policy and public health, this book provides a much-needed perspective on how our health care system evolved, why we face the challenges that we do, and why reform is so difficult to achieve. The essays tackle tough issues including: socioeconomic disadvantage, tobacco, obesity, gun violence, insurance gaps, the rationing of services, the power of special interests, medical errors, and the nursing shortage.

Linking the nation’s health problems to larger political, cultural, and philosophical contexts, Policy Challenges in Modern Health Care offers a compelling look at where we stand and where we need to be headed.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780813535784
Publisher:	Rutgers University Press
Publication date:	04/08/2005
Pages:	294
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

DAVID MECHANIC is the director of the Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research at Rutgers University and the national program director of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Investigator Awards in Health Policy Research. 

LYNN B. ROGUT is deputy director of the Investigator Awards in Health Policy Research. 

DAVID C. COLBY is deputy director of the Health Care Group and senior program officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.  

JAMES R. KNICKMAN is vice president for Research and Evaluation. 

Editorial Reviews

A marvelous collection of ideas and insights by first-rate scholars. This book lays a foundation for more creative and effective policy-making.

Dean and Blue Cross of California Professor of Health Policy and Management, Uni - Stephen M. Shortell

A marvelous collection of ideas and insights by first-rate scholars. This book lays a foundation for more creative and effective policy-making.

From the Publisher