In Sickness and Health: A Study of Global Healthcare Regimes

This book studies the different structures of healthcare systems in various countries across the globe with the hope of understanding how we, as Americans, can learn from other systems to better our own. Each country has its own unique quality of life that is an overall reflection of the general health-societal, emotional, and physical- of the region. Furthermore, the government's involvement in specific sectors of health can either improve or inhibit the functionality of the health system. Different countries have different healthcare structures. It is important to analyze these structures as examples of where we can improve and where we are succeeding. Public and private health insurance plans are also big factors that play a role in the accessibility and effectiveness of a country's health system. Accessibility issues cause many debates within each country because there is no perfect program that creates affordable, easily accessible, and efficient health care all in one. In addition to these obvious areas of exploration, this book also dives into the preventative and hospice care measures countries implement. By doing so one major thing becomes clear: how much the country's system values patients' lives vs. how much the country's system values money. This battle is prevalent in every country, and it has a significant impact on the country's healthcare system- something many people are unaware of. Learning from the pros and cons of other nations helps us comprehend why we have many of the health problems we do, and it helps us learn how to better allocate our resources and time to ensure the most effective system possible. Ultimately, society thrives in a healthy environment. To push our society to the maximum success it can reach, we must take the health care system into account.