Chapter 3 Notes.docx - HLTH 207 Chapter 3 Notes - - - US...

HLTH 207
Chapter 3 Notes
- US Healthcare
o Shaped by anthro-cultural values and social, political, and economic antecedents
o Evolution of medical science and technology
o Reform has taken center stage in American politics
o Tracing the transformations in medical practice
- Colonial Times (1492-1600s)
o Medicine lagged behind other countries
o Treatment attitudes emphasized natural history and common sense
o Strong domestic character
o Five factors making medical profession an insignificant trade
 (1) medical practice was in disarray
 (2) merical procedures were primitive
 (3) an institutional core was missing
 almshouse (like a poor people home) and pesthouse (a room for
sick people-- a failed attempt at quarantine to control disease)
 mental asylum (simple anxiety or depression was deemed bad
blood so they would drain peoples blood and dump them in hot or
cold water)
 dreaded hospital
 (4) demand was unstable
 fee for service
 (5) medical education was substandard
- Medical services: postindustrial era
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