Summary

This tenth edition of a classic textbook, updated in November 2013 with a free, downloadable chapter on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), presents the critical issues and core challenges surrounding our health care system. Designed for graduate and advanced undergraduate students, it includes the contributions of leading thinkers, educators, and practitioners who provide an in-depth and objective appraisal of why and how we organize health care the way we do; the enormous impact of health-related behaviors on the structure, function, and cost of the health care delivery system; and other emerging and recurrent issues in health policy, health care management, and public health. To update this book with the rapid changes that have occurred in health care through November 2013, a separate chapter, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Supplement , is available to students and instructors as a downloadable PDF.

This text is divided into five sections, in order to provide some coherence to this broad terrain. Part I, The Current U.S. Health Care System , addresses major characteristics and issues, including reform, financing, and comparative health care systems. This section now includes multiple new charts and tables providing concrete health care data. Part II, Population Health , focuses on health behavior, including health care models, public health policy and practice, risk factors, facilitating healthy lifestyle practices, and access to care. Part III, Medical Care Delivery, addresses integrated health models, delivering high-quality health care, health care costs and value, and comparative effectiveness. Part IV, Support for Medical Care Delivery , concerns governance and management issues, including accountability, the health workforce, and information technology. Part V, The Future of Health Care Delivery in the United States , includes a new 5-year trend forecast.

Key Features:

Includes major provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act of 2010 Each chapter includes these special features: key concepts; extensive mapping resources; key words; learning objectives; discussion questions; and case studies Covers the newest models of care, such as Accountable Care Organizations and Integrated Delivery Systems Examines new ways of conceptualizing and assessing health care, including comparative effectiveness research Features contributions by leading scholars and key figures within the U.S. health care system, including John Billings, JD; Carolyn M. Clancy, MD; C. Tracy Orleans, PhD; and Michael S. Sparer, PhD, JD Contains new coverage of health reform, developing countries, population health, public health and catastrophic events, and a broadened discussion of the health care workforce Affordable Care Act (ACA) Supplement available to students and instructors as a downloadable PDF

Available to Instructors:

Instructor's Guide (updated to reflect content from ACA supplement) PowerPoint Presentations Image Bank Test Bank (updated to reflect content from ACA supplement)