Question

What challenges to survival do AHCs face in the ever-changing U.S. health services system? How do you believe the ACA will impact the supply of physicians and allied healthcare professionals?

Answer 1

Ans) The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has substantially decreased the number of uninsured Americans and improved access to health care, though insurance affordability and disparities by geography, race/ethnicity, and income persist. In addition, changes brought on by the ACA will no doubt impact state and federal budgets.

- Expanded health insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is having a major impact on many of the nation's hospitals through increases in the demand for care, increased patient revenues, and lower uncompensated care costs for the uninsured.

- Care is increasingly being provided outside of the hospital setting, and mid-level practitioners (e.g., nurse practitioners, physician assistants, midwives, pharmacists) are beginning to take on expanded care roles in health care and public health, in some cases becoming the medical home for many patients.

- Leveraging nonphysician clinicians can go a long way toward alleviating projected physician shortages.

- An emerging care paradigm, referred to as mobile integrated health care practice or community paramedicine, centers on the concept of patient navigation to reduce preventable emergency department visits and readmissions and to increase capacity of the health care system.

- Medical and public health preparedness programs could look to the military for lessons learned regarding successful team-based medical care and training providers in decision making under stress.