This book offers students of health administration, public health, medicine, and related fields a wide-ranging overview of America's health care system. Combining historical perspective with analysis of current trends, this expanded edition charts the evolution of modern American health care, providing a complete examination of its organization and delivery while offering critical insight into the issues that the U.S. health system faces today. From a physician-dominated system to one defined by managed care and increasingly sophisticated technology, this essential text explains the transformation underway and the professional, political, social, and economic forces that guide it today and will in the future. Balanced in perspective and comprehensive in its coverage, this Eighth Edition, provides students with a clearly organized, straightforward illustration of the complex structures, relationships and processes of this rapidly growing industry, including thoroughly updated information throughout, on the progress and impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Eighth Edition has been thoroughly revised to reflect recent developments in this dynamic industry. In addition to updating all key financial, utilization, and other data with the latest available information.

Overview of health care : a population perspective -- Benchmark developments in U.S. health care -- Health information technology -- Hospitals : origin, organization, and performance -- Ambulatory care -- Medical education and the changing practice of medicine -- The healthcare workforce -- Financing health care -- Long-term care -- Mental health services -- Public health and the role of government in health care -- Research : how health care advances -- Future of health care.