Private Medicine and Public Health: Profit, Politics, and Prejudice in the American Health Care Enterprise

Description

This book surveys the broad expanse of health and health care institutions in America from a critical, macro, political-economic, and social problems-oriented perspective. It presents a political-economic analysis that is a deeper analysis of the political influences exercised by industry. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Contents List of Acronyms Preface The Perspective Organization of the Text Acknowledgments Reference 1 The Big Picture The Development of Health Care in an Emerging Capitalist System Sidelining Public Health Summary and Discussion References 2 Access to Health Care Health Status in the United States Minorities and Access to Health Care Historical Obstacles to Health Care Access in African-American Communities Hispanic Access to Health Care Access to Health Care for the Uninsured Women and Access Summary and Discussion References 3 Physicians The American Medical Association Self-Referral Fee-for-Service Versus Salary Medical Malpractice Summary and Discussion References 4 Nurses History of the Profession Theories Explaining Cyclical Nursing Shortages Registered Care Technologist: AMA Response to the Nursing Shortage Nurses in Unions Nurses as Entrepreneurs and Independent Practitioners Changing Composition of the Nursing Labor Force: Blacks, Men, and Immigrants Summary and Discussion References 5 Hospitals Brief History of Hospitals Investor-Owned Hospital Chains For-Profits Versus Nonprofits Trends in Vertical Integration Hospital Costs Public Hospital Emergency Rooms Hospitals Can Be Dangerous Places Summary and Discussion References 6 Managed Care Brief History of HMOs Current Overview of HMOs Managed Care Does Not Appear to Reduce Health Care Costs When HMOs Go Belly-Up Quality of Care and Consumer Protection Issues HMOs and Advertising Summary and Discussion References 7 Alternative Health Care Industry Brief History of Alternative Practitioners Alternative Health Care in the United States Today Huckstering, Fraud, Deception, Misrepresentation, and Unproven Alternatives Vitamins and Amino Acids Summary and Discussion References 8 The Drug Industry Prescription Drug Prices Prescription Drug Marketing Prescription Drug Research Politics of Drug Manufacturing Drug Misadventuring Summary and Discussion References 9 Medical Services Dialysis Industry Laboratories Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Summary and Discussion References 10 Federal Government CHAMPUS Indian Health Service Medicare Public Health Enforcement I: Environmental Protection Agency Public Health Enforcement II: Occupational Safety and Health Administration Public Health Enforcement III: Food and Drug Administration Summary and Discussion References 11 Medicaid and the States Medicaid Summary and Discussion References 12 Conclusion The American Public Health Association Looking North for Inspiration: The Canadian Health Care System Summary and Discussion References Glossary About the Book and Author Index