There is wide consensus that our current healthcare system is, to put it mildly, broken. In this time of HMOs, mismanaged care, and a failing Medicare system, patients and doctors alike are dissatisfied with the status quo. But Knope explains that there is a solution - Concierge Medicine. This new system, sweeping the nation yet still the subject of some controversy, allows consumers to contract directly with a doctor to get individualized care. It's a return to Marcus Welby-style medicine, says Knope, and it provides what he calls a critical element for the best care - time. Ample time for doctors to care for their patients, and to restore the doctor-patient relationship that has fallen into the past with our current assembly-line, fast food medicine. The first book published giving in-depth explanation of Concierge Medicine, this work also provides concrete advice on how to find, interview, and budget for a concierge doctor, using changes in tax law that allow patients to open Health Savings Accounts. Patient vignettes provide personal insights from consumers of Concierge Medicine, and further description of what is involved to use this new approach for optimal health.

Knope clearly explains the pressures that led to our current assembly-line healthcare system, allowing the reader to see also why the fact that a typical doctor's visit these days lasts just seven minutes works against any attempt to get, or for doctors to give, the best of care. Health is our most precious asset, says Knope, and like financial wealth, what he sees as health wealth also takes time, effort, and money to nurture. The three critical components of optimal health discussed are: a good relationship with a qualified doctor, regular exercise, and good nutrition. Concierge doctors customize a nutrition and exercise program unique to the needs of each individual. Yet there are detractors who argue Concierge Medicine is unfair, because it allows just those who can afford it unlimited access to a doctor. Knope confronts that question of medical ethics also. This book will doubtless stimulate not only ideas and action, but wide discussion and debate.

This important new study explores how American health care evolved in the 1990s, as well as the changes in public support and policy. Birenbaum examines where the interests of consumers and professionals have dovetailed and where they differ. He considers the health care systeM's future and suggested ways the system must be adjusted to provide better and wider coverage at reasonable costs. This volume is essential reading for scholars, students, and professionals in the medical field, as well as general readers concerned with health care issues.

The 90s saw the country moving toward a realization that health care had become unaffordable--or an enormous financial burden for people with otherwise adequate incomes. Health care providers and consumers alike worried that the problem was becoming uncontrollable. Doctors saw their autonomy and control eroded, employers saw their costs rising significantly, the costs began shifting to employees, and alternative approaches to cost containment were explored.

This book critically analyses the influence of international policies and guidelines on the performance of interventions aimed at reducing health inequities in Latin America, with special emphasis on health promotion and health in all policies strategies. While the implementation of these interventions plays a key role in strengthening these countries' capacity to respond to current and future challenges, the urgency and pressures of cooperation and funding agencies to show results consistent with their own agendas not only hampers this goal, but also makes the territory invisible, hiding the real problems faced by most Latin American countries, diminishing the richness of local knowledge production, and hindering the development of relevant proposals that consider the territory's conditions and cultural identity. Departing from this general analysis, the authors search for answers to the following questions: Why, despite the importance of the theoretical advances r egarding actions to address social and health inequities, haven't Latin American countries been able to produce the expected results? Why do successful initiatives only take place within the framework of pilot projects? Why does the ideology of health promotion and health in all policies mainly permeate structures of the health sector, but not other sectors? Why are intersectoral actions conjunctural initiatives, which often fail to evolve into permanent practices? Based on an extensive literature review, case studies, personal experiences, and interviews with key informants in the region, Globalization and Health Inequities in Latin America presents a strategy that uses monitoring and evaluation practices for enhancing the capacity of Latin American and other low and middle-income countries to implement sustainable processes to foster inclusiveness, equity, social justice and human rights. <

The second edition of this acclaimed book offers a critical analysis of the transition from institutional to community care for people with mental health problems. Despite the almost complete abandonment of the old Victorian asylum system, the powerful cultural legacy of segregation remains potent in modern thought. Rogers and Pilgrim analyse the impact of new policies introduced by the Labour government since it came to power in 1997, identifying both the processes and causes of policy change and assessing its value in the context of longer term debates about madness and distress.

Advancing the Human Right to Health offers a prospective on the global response to one of the greatest moral, legal, and public health challenges of the 21st century - achieving the human right to health as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and other legal instruments. Featuring writings by global thought-leaders in the world of health human rights, the book brings clarity to many of the complex clinical, ethical, economic, legal, and socio-cultural questions raised by injury, disease, and deeper determinants of health, such as poverty. Much more than a primer on the right to health, this book features an examination of profound inequalities in health, which have resulted in millions of people condemned to unnecessary suffering and hastened deaths. In so doing, it provides a thoughtful account of the right to health's parameters, strategies on ways in which to achieve it, and discussion of why it is so essential in a 21st century context. Country-specific case studies provide context for analysing the right to health and assessing whether, and to what extent, this right has influenced critical decision-making that makes a difference in people's lives. Thematic chapters also look at the specific challenges involved in translating the right to health into action. Advancing the Human Right to Health highlights the urgency to build upon the progress made in securing the right to health for all, offering a timely reminder that all stakeholders must redouble their efforts to advance the human right to health.

Every year, the average American spends about $7,300 on medical expenses. The typical Canadian pays $2,700, the Briton only $2,000. And yet, according to the World Health Organization, our healthcare system, in terms of total quality, ranks thirty-eighth in the world, right between Costa Rica and Slovenia. Not only do 40 million Americans lack health insurance, but more than 200,000 die each year because of medical mistakes. Our average life expectancy is lower than Cuba's.
In Next Medicine, Dr. Walter Bortz zeroes in on why the American medicine is spiraling toward disaster. A physician with fifty years of experience and a leading authority on aging, Bortz argues that the financial interests of biotech and drug companies have distorted the healthcare system. Thanks to them, medicine today is economically motivated to treat disease rather than to prevent it. Heart disease, for example, is widely treated with drug interventions and invasive surgery--both of which are extravagantly profitable for pharmaceutical giants and hospitals. Daily exercise and a healthy diet, on the other hand, can prevent heart disease, and can be obtained by patients essentially for free--but there's no money in that. The medical-industrial complex has a vested interest in keeping us sick, and until that changes medicine will fail to effectively address the leading cause of disability and mortality today: chronic diseases like diabetes that are largely preventable. Bortz proposes a medical system that emphasizes personal responsibility and provides incentives for healthy lifestyle choices, along with new training for medical professionals.
Through a lively narrative full of personal anecdotes and jarring statistics, Bortz makes a powerful case for a radically new medical system--one that is based on rigorous science and loosens the strangle hold of corporate interests on American health.

This book presents an extensive study on the effectiveness of recent regulations on pharmaceutical prices in India, exploring the weaknesses in the design and implementation of pharmaceutical price controls and investigating what can be done to fix the broken system. In addition, it examines the extent to which essential medicines are actually made affordable by price controls. The book argues that companies make the pharmaceutical price control regime largely ineffective by coordinating to increase pre-regulation prices; by diversifying horizontally away from the regulated markets and increasing prices in the unregulated markets; by manipulating trade margins; and by refusing to comply with the regulation because the penalties remains negligible. The book draws on extensive empirical research involving India's 2013 Drug Price Control Order and widely-used medicines such as paracetamol and metformin to illustrate how firms have weakened regulation. It argues that the regulatory regime can be strengthened by using systematic analysis of product- and region-level data in the Indian pharmaceutical industry, and by screening for the strategies that firms currently employ to circumvent regulation. In closing, it discusses recent efforts to strengthen the implementation of price controls in India and expanding the scope of price controls to medical devices.

Ethical medical treatment is an important aspect of healthcare that is affected by multiple influencing factors in, both private and public, medical organizations. By understanding and adapting the components of the health system to these influencing factors, healthcare can have better outcomes for patients and practitioners. Healthcare Administration for Patient Safety and Engagement provides emerging research on the theoretical and practical aspects of healthcare management for optimal patient care and communication. While highlighting topics, such as clinical communication, ethical dilemmas, and preventive medicine, this book will teach readers about the tools and applications of ethical treatment and hospital behavior in both private and public medical organizations. This book is an important resource for managers and employees of health units, physicians, medical students, psychology and sociology professionals, and researchers seeking current research on healthcare organization and patient satisfaction.

This ambitious resource presents an inventive approach to integrating pediatric and mental health care based in comprehensive, family-centered service delivery. Its framework adds a problem-solving focus to the core principles of pediatric consultation-liaison psychiatry, emphasizing young patients' developmental, family, and social context. An international panel of expert clinicians explores the value of the mental health component in treating complex and chronic cases across varied settings, as well as practical considerations in implementing collaborative pediatric care systemwide, including at the global level. Detailed case histories illustrate skills and traits essential to making this problem-based approach work, such as multidimensional thinking, a prevention mentality, a dedication to lifelong learning, and empathy and respect for young clients and their families. Included in the coverage: * Pediatric medicine for the child psychiatrist. * Safety issues in a general medical facility setting. * "Other medical" presentations and considerations in pediatric consultation-liaison psychiatry. * Principles of biopsychosocial formulation and interventions in the pediatric medical setting. * Preventive models for reducing major causes of morbidity and mortality in childhood. Child and adolescent psychiatrists, child and school psychologists, and physicians in pediatrics, general practice, and family medicine will welcome Pediatric Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry as both a robust training text and a blueprint for the future of children's medicine.

For fifty years, Medicare and Medicaid have stood at the center of a contentious debate surrounding American government, citizenship, and health care entitlement. In Medicare and Medicaid at 50, leading scholars in politics, government, economics, health policy, and history offer a comprehensive assessment of the evolution of these programs and their impact on society - from their origins in the Great Society era to the current battles over the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare"). These highly accessible essays examine Medicare and Medicaid from their origins as programs for the elderly and poor to their later role as a safety net for the middle class. Along the way, they have served as touchstones for heated debates about economics, social welfare, and the role of government. Medicare and Medicaid at 50 addresses key questions for understanding the past and future of health policy in America, including: DT What were the origins for these initiatives, and how were they transformed over time? DT What marks have Medicare and Medicaid left on society? DT In what ways have these programs produced innovation, even in eras of retrenchment? DT How did Medicaid, once regarded as a poor person's program, expand its benefits and coverage over the decades to become the platform for the ACA's future expansion? The volume's contributors go on to examine the powerful role of courts in these transformations, along with the shifting roles of Congress, public opinion, and state governors in the programs' ongoing evolution. From Lyndon Johnson to Barack Obama on the left, and from Ronald Reagan to George W. Bush on the right, American political leaders have tied their political fortunes to the fate of America's entitlement programs; Medicare and Medicaid at 50 helps explain why, and how those ongoing debates are likely to shape the future of the Affordable Care Act.

Medicaid is the primary means for providing medical care to the nation's indigent and disabled populations. Almost 13 percent of all Americans received some form of medical coverage, such as physician services or long-term care, through Medicaid in the early 1990s. The costs continue to rise dramatically, and state governments have become alarmed by the growing share of their budgets that Medicaid consumes.

Daniels and his contributors present the efforts of 16 states to reform their Medicaid programs through a system of managed care--programs that seek to control or manage the use by patients of physicians and other heath care services. They present an overview of the inconsistency and paradox of American health care, pointing to the ways each state's unique political and economic variables give rise to individually stylized approaches to the delivery of Medicaid services. The most comprehensive look at state efforts in Medicaid reform, the book will be an invaluable resource for scholars and researchers in the fields of public and health administration, for practitioners, and for policymakers.

Although often depicted as aggressive and unpredictable in movies, people with schizophrenia are actually far more likely to be the victims of violence than perpetrators of it. This book sheds light on the realities of this often misunderstood mental illness. Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by delusions, hallucinations, and disordered thoughts and behaviors. Although schizophrenia requires lifelong treatment, early intervention can help individuals effectively manage their symptoms. Even so, it can be a challenging condition to navigate for both the patient and their loved ones. What You Need to Know about Schizophrenia is part of Greenwood's Inside Diseases and Disorders series. This series profiles a variety of physical and psychological conditions, distilling and consolidating vast collections of scientific knowledge into concise, readable volumes. A list of "top 10" essential questions begins each book, providing quick-access answers to readers' most pressing concerns. The text follows a standardized, easy-to-navigate structure, with each chapter exploring a particular facet of the topic. In addition to covering such basics as causes, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options, books in this series delve into issues that are less commonly addressed but still critically important, such as effects on loved ones and caregivers. Case illustrations highlight key themes discussed in the book and are accompanied by insightful analyses and recommendations. Approaches the subject in a holistic manner, covering such often-overlooked areas as societal perceptions and impact on family and friends An Essential Questions section provides quick answers to the questions readers are most likely to have and serves as a springboard to explore the content of the book in more detail Case Illustrations provide relatable, real-world examples of concepts discussed in the text An annotated Directory of Resources points readers toward useful books, organizations, and websites, acting as a gateway to further study and research

Equitable Access to High-Cost Pharmaceuticals seeks to aid the development and implementation of equitable public health policies by pharmaco-economics professionals, health economists, and policymakers. With detailed country-by country analysis of policy and regulation, the Work compares and contrasts national healthcare systems to support researchers and practitioners identify optimal healthcare policy solutions. The Work incorporates chapters on global regulatory changes, health technology assessment guidelines, and competitive effectiveness research recommendations from international bodies such as the OECD or the EU. Novel policies such as horizon scanning, managed-entry agreement and post-launch monitoring are considered in detail. The Work also thoroughly reviews novel pharmaceuticals with particular research interest, including cancer drugs, orphan medicines, Hep C, and personalized medicines.

E-health communities, also called Web-based health communities, have become popular arenas for support and sharing of experience, knowledge and advice among patients and citizens. E-health communities are used on a day-to-day basis by people who help each other cope with different health conditions and learn together about health-related issues and behaviors. E-Health Communities and Online Self-Help Groups: Applications and Usage will aim to provide relevant theoretical frameworks and the latest empirical research findings in the area. It aims to increase knowledge and understanding of applications and usage of e-health communities for self-help groups who struggle with health disorders, disabilities, lifestyle issues and other health concerns. Different e-health community settings will be presented, observations of community usage and effects discussed, and complementing ways to measure effectiveness will be introduced and analyzed.

This book examines the causes and consequences of suicide from the perspective of economics. The approach here differs from those in medical, psychiatric, epidemiological, and sociological studies of suicide and is thus novel in a way that highlights the importance of economic and institutional settings in the problem of suicide. The authors argue that suicide imposes a tremendous economic cost on contemporary society in a variety of ways, requiring the government to develop an effective prevention strategy. An empirical analysis using data from Japan and other developed countries shows that natural disasters and economic crises increase suicide rates, while liberal government policies favorable to the poor can decrease them. Further, the types of effective prevention strategies in the context of railway/subway suicides, celebrity suicides, public awareness campaigns, and education using data primarily from Japan are revealed. This book ultimately contributes to an understanding of suicides and the development of evidence-based policy proposals. The Japanese version of this book won the 56th Nikkei Prize for Economics Books (Nikkei Keizai Tosho Bunka Award) in 2013. Yasuyuki Sawada is Chief Economist of the Asian Development Bank and Professor of Economics at The University of Tokyo. Michiko Ueda is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Political Science and Economics at Waseda University. Tetsuya Matsubayashi is Associate Professor of Osaka School of International Public Policy (OSIPP) at Osaka University.

This timely study analyzes social, economic, political, provider, and patient factors shaping collective patient involvement in European health care from the postwar period to the present day. Examining representative countries England, the Netherlands, Germany, and Sweden, it documents the roles of providers and legislatures in facilitating consumer involvement, and the varied forms of patient input into hospital operations. These findings are compared and contrasted against the intent and ideals behind patient involvement to assess the effectiveness of implementation policy, strengths and drawbacks of patient participation, and patient satisfaction and outcomes. The book's conclusions identify emerging forms of patient participation and predict the impact of health policy on the future of European collective patient involvement. Included in the coverage: * Patient involvement: who, what for, and in what way? * The Netherlands: the legislative process to collective patient involvement * England: formal means of public involvement-a continuous story of discontinuity * Germany: Joint Federal Committee-the "Little Legislator" * Sweden: reasons for a late emergence of patient involvement * Lessons to be learned from implementing patient involvement The Evolution and Everyday Practice of Collective Patient Involvement in Europe will interest and inspire scholars and researchers in diverse fields, including social policy, sociology, political sciences, and nursing studies, as well as patient organizations, policymakers, and healthcare providers.

This book is a study of the pioneer early county asylums, which were intended to provide for the 'cure', and 'safe custody' of people suffering from the ravages of insanity. It considers the origins of the asylums, how they were managed, the people who staffed them, their treatment practices, and the experiences of the people who were incarcerated. 'Community care' in the late twentieth century has led us to abandon the network of nineteenth century lunatic asylums. This book reminds us of the ideals that lay behind them. The book contains extensive material regarding particular cities/counties, e.g. Nottingham, Lincoln, Stafford, Wakefield, Lancaster, Bedford, West Riding, Norfolk, Cornwall, Dorset, Suffolk, etc.

Health care reforms around the world--from Europe and North America to Africa, Latin America and Asia--seem to all be market-oriented reforms driven by international business interests and right wing political parties. There seems to be a sudden and broad concern with the "efficiency" of medical care, with the assertion that democratically or professionally run systems are inherently inefficient. Far less concern is evident for the more traditional values held regarding medical care, "effectiveness" (or quality) and "equity." The fact is that we have little good cross-national research that systematically addresses the reform issue.

This book addresses that problem, and attempts to look at health care reforms in a number of countries, representing as wide a spectrum as possible, and using a common conceptual framework that allows for comparable information to be gathered and presented on each, despite differing levels of socio-economic development. The authors agreed on a set of models that were thought to provide reasonable guidance in answering the questions of the source of pressures for reform, the alternative modes of organization that have been found in the world in recent years, and the direction of change among those alternatives.