Chapter 2 - Foundations of U.S. Healthcare Delivery

Acute condition

Relatively severe, episodic (of short duration), and often treatable. It is subject to recovery, and treatment is generally provided in a hospital.

Behavioral factors

Individual lifestyles are also a key determinant of health. For example, diet, exercise, stress management, risky or unhealthy behaviors, and other individual choices play a major role in most of the significant health problems of today.

Chronic condition

Less severe but of long and continuous duration. The patient may not fully recover. The disease may be kept under control through appropriate medical treatment, but if left untreated, the condition may lead to severe and life-threatening health problems. Examples include asthma, diabetes, and hypertension.

Demand-side rationing

Prices and ability to pay ration the quantity and type of health care services people consume.

Determinants of health

The leading determinants of health can be classified into four main categories: environment, behavior and lifestyle, heredity, and medical care.

Disease

Based on a medical professional's evaluation of a person's health state.

Environmental factors

Encompass the physical, socioeconomic, sociopolitical, and sociocultural dimensions of life.

Health

A complete state of physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Health care system

All of the activities aimed at promoting, restoring, or maintaining health.

Healthy People 2020

The overarching goals of Healthy People 2020 include attaining high-quality, longer lives free of preventable disease, injury, and premature death; achieving health equity, eliminating disparities, and improving the health of all groups; creating social and physical environments that promote good health for all; and promoting quality of life, healthy development, and health behaviors across all life stages.

Heredity

The genetic makeup of an individual that could influence one's health status.

Holistic medicine

A philosophy of health care that emphasizes the well-being of every aspect of a person, including the physical, mental, social, and spiritual aspects of health.

Illness

Recognized by means of a person's own perceptions and evaluation of how he or she feels.

Medical model

Presupposes the existence of illness or disease, thereby emphasizing clinical diagnosis and medical intervention in the treatment of disease or its symptoms.

Planned rationing or supply-side rationing

Refers to government means to limit the availability of certain health care services by deciding, for instance, how technology will be dispersed and who will be allowed access to certain types of high-tech services.

Public health

A wide variety of activities undertaken by state and local governments to ensure conditions that promote optimum health for society as a whole.

Public health system

Reflects an organized effort to deliver public health services within a jurisdiction with the goal of improving health and well-being of the population.

Quality of life

(1) Refers to factors considered important by patients, such as environmental comfort, security, interpersonal relations, personal preferences, and autonomy in making decisions when institutionalized. (2) Overall satisfaction with life, during and following a person's encounter with the health care delivery system.

Subacute condition

Between acute and chronic but has some acute features. Subacute conditions can be post-acute, requiring further treatment after a brief stay in the hospital. Examples include ventilator and head trauma care.