BHA-FPX4002_Assessment 1-1
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Capella University *
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FPX4002
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Medicine
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Apr 3, 2024
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7
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Evolution of the Hospital Industry: A Comparative Analysis
Aniquae Williams
Capella University BHA-FPX4002: History of the United States Health Care System
Professor Chanadra Whiting
8/21/23
Introduction
When it comes to the Evolution of Hospitals in America, it has changed drastically. From the hospital environment, where healthcare staff comes across various patients who need to seek some kind of medical attention. To the staff education, that is required to consider yourself a healthcare professional. Even the level of care, which entails the efforts that are required in order to stabilize a patient's mental or physical condition.
Hospital Environment
During the 1800s, the hospital environment was very overcrowded and consisted of every patient with different medical needs being in one open room. It was unventilated which caused the spread of various diseases. Patients had to share beds, which would be infested with insects such as bed bugs. As well as sanitation wasn’t the best, which caused a lot of contamination and more infections and diseases. In the 1960’s, the hospital setting was very small and had less than 100 beds. Patients who were there with different issues were separated into different units of the hospital. Ventilation was also developed, and the idea to always keep the hospital cold to keep contagious viruses and diseases at an all-time low developed. Beds were no longer shared, and the hospitals became cleaner and sanitized. As time continued to change, so did the hospitals. Now in the 2000s, they’ve improved even more. The average hospital has over 720 beds with more healthcare-trained professionals to assist. There’s different units for each medical issue such as Labor and delivery, the Intensive Care Unit, and the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Hospitals are now cleaner and more sanitized and equipped with ventilators, hospital masks, and personal protective equipment. (Buga S, 2023)
Education Becoming a Doctor in the 1800s, was pretty easy and very quick. There were only four medical schools that existed. There were no entrance requirements to be accepted. Also, they didn’t have the best educational instructions. Curriculum courses only consisted of 7 classes. You could graduate medical school in 8 months. To practice medicine in this era, you only needed to take an exam which was brief, and would basically learn everything on the job. Due to the lack of didactic education in the U.S, most Physicians relocated to Europe to gain more practical knowledge and experience, including laboratory. In the 1960s, the American Medical Association (AMA) was founded and they wanted to improve public health in the US and make medical education a lot more standardized. Which entailed a 4-year medical school training. Two of those years would be in the classroom while the other two would consist of on-the-job training. Joining a residency of your specialty was also required which totaled out to be 4,000 hours before you could even take the Medical Board Exam
(
Stevens, R. A. (1996)
. Now in the 2000s, it has become very challenging to even earn a seat in medical school, since institutions are becoming more strict. Pre-med students will need to display very competitive test scores, grade point average, and have a very extensive resume, as well as various letters of recommendation. Since the epidemic of COVID-19, medical and residency institutions are starting to adopt more of a 3-year program and allowing more online training with the help and development of telehealth technologies. Level of Care
Before the level of care improved from the 1960s to now, Physicians in the 1800s didn’t care too much about physical injuries, or performed surgeries, they would only check a patient's pulse and urine. Patients who were suffering from illnesses were not admitted to the hospital, and
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they would be sent home to die. While Physicians in the 1960s. presented and performed various surgeries and procedures. Admitted patients into the hospitals. Plus, various medical products such as medication, surgery tools, anesthesia, and first aid kits were presented
(
Stevens R.A, 1996)
. Today’s level of care has become more enhanced and focuses more on access quality when it comes to patient care, health professionals' safety, and overall better hospital conditions. Medication and new medical technology are being developed every day to continue the improvement in the quality of care. Paying For Care
Paying for care in the 1800s, was overly complicated since the medical bill was expected to be paid directly by the patient or their family, causing a financial burden. Luckily in the 1960’s all of that changed, as the government made it a priority to attempt to offer Medicaid programs to all Americans. Today, Medicare and Medicaid still exist in order to pay for healthcare. In 2010, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA/ACA) that would assist with improving health outcomes by reducing any spending and denying coverage to individuals who were dealing with pre-existing conditions.
(
Metriarch, n.d.).
Conclusion
In conclusion, the comparison and contrast of the hospital environment from the 1800s, 1960s, and 2000s, all figured out ways to continuously improve. Not just for the patients but also for the healthcare professionals, to prevent any spread of infectious diseases. Although care wasn’t the best in the 1800s, the care to help others with their medical problems never stopped. They not only understood the importance of saving lives but also made sure it was affordable for others to be able to go to the hospital without having to worry about any financial issues. The
healthcare environment in the U.S will only get better as new laws are always coming about. Plus, the development of new technology, programs, medication, and healthcare professionals are being trained every day to become better.
References: Medical Education | Encyclopedia.com. (n.d.). https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/united-states-and-canada/us-history/medical-education
Buga, S. (2021). A history of medical education in the U.S. The Daily Checkup. https://blog.amopportunities.org/2020/07/08/a-history-of-u-s-medical-education-and-
organizations
Stevens, R. A. (1996, January 1). Health care in the early 1960s. PubMed Central (PMC). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4193636/#:~:text=Most%20hospitals%2
Washington State Nurses Association. (2021, May 7). The 2000s: New beginnings. WSNA. https://www.wsna.org/about/centennial/2000s
A (Brief) health Insurance History lesson – Metriarch®. (n.d.). https://www.metriarchok.org/a-brief-health-insurance-history-lesson/
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