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Essentials of the U.S. Health Care System

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Essentials of the U.S. Health Care System, Sixth Edition is a clear and concise distillation of the major topics covered in the best-selling Delivering Health Care in America by the same authors. Written with the undergraduate in mind, Essentials of the U.S. Health Care System is a reader-friendly, well organized resource that covers the major characteristics, foundations, and future of the U.S. health care system. The text clarifies the complexities of health care organization and finance and presents a solid overview of how the various components fit together. Key Features: - Updated new data throughout. Tables, charts, figures, and text are all based on the latest data. - New sections on the prospects of healthcare reform under the Biden Administration and patient advocacy organizations. - Coverage of COVID, including the effects on U.S. hospitals, impact of vulnerable populations, implications for the future of health care delivery, etc. - Expanded coverage of nanomedicine, AI in health informatics, cybersecurity of data, and more. - Latest on ACA, including its effects on insurance, access, and cost. - New sections on payments for quality and cost savings; Payment Driven Payment Model (PDPM), payments for rehabilitation therapy. - Updates on forces of future change; cost, coverage and access dilemmas; and expectations of health reform in the broader economic context. - Navigate eBook access (included with each print text) provides online or offline access to the digital text from a computer, tablet, or mobile device.

390 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2004

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About the author

Leiyu Shi

46 books1 follower

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5 stars
42 (27%)
4 stars
43 (27%)
3 stars
43 (27%)
2 stars
16 (10%)
1 star
10 (6%)
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
Profile Image for Rae (semi-hiatus).
520 reviews174 followers
September 30, 2022
I've never given a textbook 5 stars, but this one deserves it in my opinion. This does such a great job of introducing you to the intricacies of the US Healthcare system, in an understandable and interesting way.
I read it cover to cover, every word. And I wasn't really bored. Like what? 🤯 There are several terms that can interrupt the flow of the text, but all textbooks do that.
This gives you a pretty extensive look into the Affordable Care Act that is pretty much fact-forward with limited bias. Something my numerous research couldn't do. The healthcare system changes rapidly, so even though this was published relatively recent, you will see some outdated information.
This textbook also taught me the most important thing- we need to scrap the entirely fucked system and start from scratch. Start over so it wasn't built only for doctors and insurances profits. Because WTF America.
Profile Image for Iralia Figueroa.
3 reviews
December 20, 2019
Is the textbook from a class I took. We read all 14 chapters very informative about how health care started.
Profile Image for Violeta.
293 reviews13 followers
December 2, 2021
super helpful in understanding the basics of healthcare. and i actually enjoyed reading through this textbook.
Profile Image for Steven Peterson.
Author 19 books328 followers
October 13, 2012
Is the prospective reader interested in a quick survey of the American health care system? Then this book would probably be of value to you. Does one want a detailed exposition of that system? This would not work so well for that purpose.

This volume covers the waterfront.

The first set of chapters provides a good background: characteristics of the healthcare system, general perspectives on health care delivery (including cultural vales and what we mean by health), a history of the system, and so on.

Other central issues are covered chapter by chapter. Examples of the coverage: the role of technology, healthcare finance, managed care, long-term care, cost-access-quality (all three covered in one chapter leaves actual details thinly covered, but it does provide an entree to these linked concerns), health policy, and the future of the healthcare system. Other issues are covered as well.

All in all, a helpful volume if you want a quick overview of the complexity of the healthcare system.
Profile Image for David Little.
44 reviews1 follower
November 24, 2012


A nice overview of the US health system. I wouldn't recommend for folks who already have a basic understanding of the structure and current problems. The chapter on healthcare reform is rudimentary. Too basic.
56 reviews
February 16, 2025
written in corporate-speak, i.e.

"To obtain recognition, programs must submit an application with adequate documentation of evidence that specific processes and policies are in place"
Profile Image for Carly.
318 reviews28 followers
June 14, 2017
I have the final for this class in one hour!

I think this book was very good for my class on the Health Care System of the United States and provided material that was really relevant and useful for my assignments. It was a little dense at the beginning, mainly because I have little background knowledge about the health care system, but the background was eventually provided in class.

Overall I definitely recommend it for anyone who is interested in learning more about health care here in the United States.
Profile Image for Lara.
1,597 reviews
December 27, 2012
This is a somewhat shallow overview of the US health care system, with some references to systems in other countries. It does a good job of introducing terminology and current issues, but does not provide any information on the federal agencies that provide regulations other than mentioning them. In addition, the history is so brief, that one does not get a true understanding of how things developed or why. This book is more appropriate to an undergraduate audience than a graduate one.
Profile Image for V..
23 reviews
December 18, 2013
A well researched book regarding the U.S. Health Care System. The text was engaging and interesting.
Profile Image for Amanda W..
159 reviews7 followers
August 7, 2014
I like this textbook. It was really relevant to today's discussion on health care and offered an unbiased approach to the ACA.
Profile Image for Melissa.
114 reviews3 followers
August 18, 2016
I really enjoyed this as a textbook for my class this semester. It was very informative and not as boring as other texts I have been required to read.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews