Brazil and United States Healthcare Essay Example for Free

Brazil and United States Healthcare Essay Abstract The topic of health care has become the most pressing and ongoing debates for not only the United States but also many other nations around the world. Many countries have implemented a universal health coverage for years with effective results. While the United States steps into a immature national health care program, the government can observe Brazil’s health care system to learn valuable lessons. The type of health care system a country chooses has a major effect on the country’s health care professionals. While comparing the health care professionals of the United States and Brazil, many similarities can be seen; however, the United States can learn many lessons from Brazil. A Comparative Analysis of Health Care Professionals in Brazil to Those in the United States The latest topic in the United States today, is the subject of healthcare reform in the United States. With the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) upheld by the Supreme Court in 2012, Americans everywhere have formed an opinion about the new national health care system—most opinions viewing the national system as negative. However, several developed nations similar to the United States have partaken in a national health care system for years. The large nation of Brazil has utilized a national health system since 1923, and has seen both positives and negatives. Many Americans see the supply and demand of health care professionals as a potential threat to the future of the ACA and the United States as a whole—a definite issue that has affected Brazil. In Brazil, health care is viewed as a constitutional right being offered by private and government organizations and is an obligation of the state. Through the Unified Health System (SUS), public health care is universal and provided free of charge to all Brazilian permanent residents. In addition to the United Health System, Brazilians also have private based health insurance coverage which the wealthier population can usually purchase, and Brazilians can be offered health  coverage by their respective employers if available. As of 2003, 174.6 million Brazilian residents receiving benefits from the SUS were documented. Of the 174.6 million, 475,699 healthcare professionals existed within Brazilian health care. In 2012, the total percentage of GDP spent on health expenditure in Brazil was at a four-year high of 9.3%. However, Brazil’s health expenditure is far lower than the United States health expenditure that spent a total of 17.9% in 2012. In Brazil the average life expectancy has been on the rise since 2000. In 2010, average Brazilian life expectancy was reported at 73.5 years with a life expectancy for men at 69.7 and for women at 77.3. The infant mortality rate in Brazil has been decreasing over the years, but is still considered high for a developed nation. Maternal mortality rate in Brazil is also decreasing in years and would be considered average compared to other countries. In an attempt to improve the national health care system in Brazil, the Brazilian government established the â€Å"Mais Medicos† program, or more doctors program, in 2013. The project was aimed to create close to 1,000 jobs for physicians to tend to patients in the 22 states that have fewer doctors than the national average—most of the states lying in the Northern region of the nation. In addition to their salaries, doctors are provided financial aid to cover housing and sustenance per municipalities of the government. The program will employ physicians temporarily while the Brazilian government looks to increase attendance to Brazilian medical schools over a short amount of time by offering substantial amounts of financial aid and increasing expenditures on medical school scholarships. Originally, the program was offered to Brazilian resident doctors only in an attempt to bring doctors from the more populated and urban areas to the rural and less populated areas. When few residential doctors applied, the Brazilian government extended Mais Medicos to Brazilian doctors who received their education overseas and foreign doctors. Prior to applying, it was suggested that applicants should have a general understanding of the Portuguese language in order to be accepted into the program. At the end of the application process, nearly 20,000 doctors had submitted applications with listed preferences of the cities that they wish to work in. Doctors involved in the program are required to work 40 hours a week for three years and may work no longer than 6 years in the program. The physicians accepted into the Mais Medicos program receive 10,000 Brazilian  Reals (an equivalent to $4,501 US dollars) per month to spend on housing and necessities. During 2013, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff imported nearly 11,000 Cuban physicians to serve in the program. Cuban physicians were to serve similar hours, but their salaries would be sent to the Cuban government who would distribute 40%-50% of the earnings to the physicians working in Brazil. This exchange has been an ongoing debate between the medical community of Brazil and its government. The benefits listed above are considered to be beneficial to physicians. The life expectancy, infant mortality rate, and maternal mortality rate are all at a good standing compared to recent generations in Brazil; therefore, the physicians having these characteristics as a resume topic shows that they were a part of a â€Å"change† in Brazil. Although the Mais Medicos program seems to have some flaws and a definite group that disapproves of it, it also is seen by many to do well for the health care system in Brazil and has many supporters. The common problem in Brazil for health care professionals seems to be a lack of distribution of doctors into the more rural areas of the country. On average in Brazil, there are only 2 hospital beds per 1,000 people. In the northern regions of Brazil, where more rural areas are found, the amount of hospitals per resident is lower than the average. Much like in the United States, doctors are very reluctant to the thought of beginning a practice in a small rural town. Reasons being that small rural towns are usual ly less populated and on average bring in less household income. In Brazil, the idea of practicing medicine in these depressed areas is even less glamorous because of the government involvement in health care. In these areas, practices receive less attention including lack of supplies and infrastructure. Physicians located within wealthier and more populous areas have slightly better access to equipment and infrastructure, but the conditions differ only slightly. Doctors are extremely rushed with a constant overflow of patients and consistently working in hot rooms with little air circulation. This is problem does not only exist in the public clinics of general physicians. Specialist physicians have a persistent flood of patients who do not need a specialist’s care, but seek the specialist because there is no general physician available. Another challenge that Brazil’s physicians face is the complete absence of electronic health records (EHRs). Although electronic health records can be difficult and  costly to implement, the benefits of them to a health system that lacks infrastructure can be monumental. EHRs improve quality, convenience, care coordination, practice efficiencies, and cost efficiencies. Implementing electronic health records would improve the quality of Brazil’s physicians work environment. The last challenge Brazil physicians face is the existence of corruption within the system. One example includes Brazil’s wealthier population paying physicians under the table to treat them before others. While some patients are in dire need of an operation or treatment, a wealthier patient has the opportunity to offer the physician an amount of money that will sway the physician to treat their situation before others—even though the others have been waiting an extended amount of time. Unfortunately, these types of situations are not illegal in Brazil; therefore, it happens frequently. In the United States, health care has only recently been provided as â€Å"universal coverage†. It is an ongoing debate to whether health care in America is a right or a privilege. The United States has always offered free health coverage to the elderly and the poor—paid for by taxpayers. In 2010, Medicare and Medicaid covered at least 112,979,783. In addition to Medicare and Medicaid, most of the American population has chosen to receive employer-based health coverage. The number of Americans with employer-based health coverage, however, has been declining since the discussion of the Affordable Care Act. Since the Affordable Care Act has come about, over 8 million people have signed up for coverage with 87% of the newly insured being previously uninsured. In 2012, the World Bank reported that there were 2.5 physicians per 1,000 people. In 2012, the total percentage of GDP spent on health expenditure in the United States was at a 17.9%. This total is far greater than the amount of GDP spent on health expenditure in Brazil. In the United States the average life expectancy has steadily increased over generations. The life expectancy reported in 2012 was 78.7 years. Although it would normally be a slight age difference, it is an incredible gap for life expectancy with Brazil at 73.5. The infant mortality rate in the United States has been steady over recent years at 6 deaths per 1,000 births. Maternal mortality rate is significantly lower in the U.S. than Brazil with Brazil at 69 deaths per 100,000 births and the United States at 28 deaths per 100,000 births. Overall, physicians  working in the United States would have a greater professional advantage over those who practice in Brazil. Not only does the United States report superior statistics for life expectancy, infant mortality rate, and maternal mortality rate, but the United States is generally a wealthier nation than Brazil. Because the United States has been a democracy for over 200 years and because of their general wealth, it is likely that the United States is in a better position to take over a health care system plan like Brazil’s. Much like Brazil, the United States new ACA health care plan has cut the uninsured rate in half and will continue decreasing the number of uninsured over the next several years. In regards to the corruption that Brazil faces on a daily basis with the wealthy paying physicians under the table, the United States cannot completely rule out the possibilities of that happening within the new health care system. However, regulations and laws have been established to prevent such situations. While there are many benefits to becoming a healthcare professional in the United States, there are also some challenges. One of the greatest challenges that physicians in the United States will face under the ACA is the growing number of patients who need to be seen by a doctor. New patients will flood waiting rooms with problems that may be preexisting with no prior treatment. However, doctors may not mind seeing more patients per day, because the amount of insurance reimbursement doctors receive will continue to decline. This is because the Affordable Care Act not only set out to achieve health care for more Americans, but it also set out to decrease overall health care costs. With the discussion of the ACA causing insurance reimbursement shrinkage and higher insurance premiums, it will become more costly to run a private practice. Overall, both the United States and Brazil’s health care system have their advantages and disadvantages. While American physicians are struggling with shrinking reimbursements and a surplus of patients, Brazilian physicians are struggling with a lack of equipment and supplies and are challenged by corruption regularly. While it seems that the United States is leaning towards a similar health care system to Brazil’s United Health System, Americans can correct the mistakes made by Brazil in regards to the treatment and use of its health care professionals. References The Affordable Care Act: A Quick Guide for  Physicians. (n.d.). National Physicians Alliance. Retrieved July 9, 2014, from http://npalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/NPA-ACA.Quick_.Guide_.for_.Physicians.041311.p Bevins, V. (2014, January 6). Brazils president imports Cuban doctors to ease shortage. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 12, 2014, from http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-ff-brazil-doctors-20140106-story.html#page=1 Elias, Paulo Eduardo M., and Amelia Cohn. Health Reform in Brazil: Lessons to Consider. PubMed Central. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 July 2014. Retrieved July 1, 2014, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles Flying in doctors. (2013, August 31). The Economist. Retrieved July 8, 2014, from http://www.economist.com/news/americas/21584349-government-imports-foreigners-reach-parts-locals-dont-want-flying-doctors Kane, J. (2012, October 22). Health Costs: How the U.S. Compares With Other Countries. PBS. Retrieved July 9, 2014, from http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/health-costs-how-the-us-compares-with-other-countries/ LoGiurato, B. (2014, May 1). Heres How Many People Actually Gained Insurance Because Of Obamacare. Business Insider. Retrieved July 12, 2014, from http://www.businessinsider.com/how-many-people-signed-up-for-obamacare-2014- Squires, D. A. (2012, May 1). The mission of The Commonwealth Fund is to promote a high performance health care system. The Fund carries out this mandate by supporting independent research on health care issues and making grants to improve health care practice and policy. Support for . Issues in International Health Policy. Retrieved July 10, 2014, from http://www.commonwealthfund.org/~/medi The World Bank. (n.d.). The World Bank. Retrieved July 12, 2014, from http://data.worldbank.org

slavery in 18th century Essays -- Slavery Essays

slavery in 18th century Despite the horror of the word slavery we have to admit that slaves have played a big role in rising big empires. For example the Egyptians used slaves to build their majestic pyramids, the Chinese and Indian used slaves for large-scale construction and agricultural and the Hebrews also used slaves. Slaves were brought from Africa to the British American colonies to work in agriculture and farming, which among other factors made the British colonies in America become so strong and prosperous. The slaves of the British American colonies were mainly from African west coast. It is important to note that slavery was present in African communities long before white traders sent African slaves to Europe and America. Slaves in Africa were those tribal people captured in confrontations between tribes and sold to Arab traders. The first traders to introduce slaves to the American colonies were the Portuguese who were later followed by the Spanish. Brought from Africa by way of different routes but in particular, the "Middle Passage" or directly from Africa to the Indies, slaves would travel in ships packed like sardines and under the most horrible conditions. Perhaps the most logical reason to try to explain the boom of slavery in America and anywhere is it was a very profitable business. In the case of America, the first slave trades were done for mere profit but then it became a necessity because of the increasing demand for working hands in the ...

Johnson Johnson Case

The corporate strategy that Johnson& Johnson pursue is to encourage autonomy in each division and cultivate entrepreneurial culture throughout the organization. It has heavily relied on acquisitions to grow over the years to expand the company into a board range of businesses in the healthcare industry. As Johnson& Johnson has grew into a complex enterprise, granted near-total autonomy has fostered each division to develop and expand its best-seller products and to be responsible for their promised achievement. This independence attributes most to the company’s success.It also provides the firm with the ability to respond quickly to emerging opportunities. Each division has the freedom to develop its own strategy, and to work with its own resources. However, this decentralization brings up the company’s overhead costs. Merger and acquisition has also brought up quality control problems that some of its products have been recalled. Johnson &Johnson has evolved to have to p-notch products and strong skills in all three basic divisions: drugs, devices, and diagnostics, that few companies can compete for.To increase collaboration between these divisions will attract new business opportunities, and the firm will benefit from his convergence by allowing different units work together. Weldon has pushed all of its units to work together to deal with different health problems and to work on new opportunities. As a leader, Weldon understands the importance of entrepreneurial spirit in the company. So he takes steps and cautions to foster collaboration among disparate operations.He set up groups that draw people from different division to work together on specific health problems, and each of the groups will be reported every six months on potential strategies and projects. He is also pushing for more internal growth that to accelerate top-and bottom-line growth. Weldon encourage employees to share database across the various business units to further improve innovation. To create a sustainable competitive advantage, Johnson &Johnson has to have valuable resources.By acquiring different segment of healthcare industry, they have the ability to develop new products that requires different segments of healthcare industry. Encouraging synergy will improve its efficiency and effectiveness in solving difficult health problem and neutralize threats, because few companies have such large resources as Johnson& Johnson does. Since few firms could actually be able to attain the idea of synergy, the resource that Johnson &Johnson has is rare. Besides that, Johnson & Johnson has to make sure their resource is difficult to imitate and difficult to substitute.Apparently, for competitors who own as large resources as Johnson& Johnson does will be able to perform same synergy; however, if Johnson& Johnson come up with some unique idea and products on curing one of the difficult health problems and get patent on it, it will be then difficult for competit ors to imitate. In order to be hard to substitute, Johnson &Johnson has to make sure their products have distinctive effectiveness that it would be hard to achieve without their products.From balance sheet, Johnson& Johnson’s liquidity, as measured by current assets compared to current liabilities, increased over the year. We might be tempted to conclude that its balance sheet has grown â€Å"stronger† currently. But its net income per sale has dropped dramatically. This might be caused by a string of product recalls and consumers are lost confidence in their products after recalls. Quality issues have risen since converging of two divisions, which directly affect Johnson& Johnson’s reputation. Investors are starting to question Johnson &Johnson’s management.Its financial picture looks even worsen now. Synergy to fix the manufacturing problems that had caused the recalls are taking longer than expected, and some brands might not return to shelves until 20 13. Current situation that Johnson& Johnson though may not put the company in a struggle condition, Consumers are losing faith in its products. Also, recent legal losses for Johnson &Johnson related to its antipsychotic drugs and the announcement to remove out some ingredients that have been proved harmful to personal health have made its overall picture worsen.From its 2nd quarter 2012 conference calls, they mentioned that their current main goal is to restore reliable supply and to regain trust from consumers. Consumers have lost some degree of confidence in Johnson& Johnson because of the recalls. But they have also mentioned in the conference calls that its pharmaceutical team achieved success in new products launching and their Synthes acquisition successfully closed in the 2nd quarter. Although they are still dealing with the negative impact of the

Personal Narrative My Great Grandfather - 1167 Words

Personal Narrative I looked down at my great grandfather, lying in the coffin, he had light gray hair and a round face. I was only six at the time, but I knew what was happening, he was gone. Tears flooded my eyes, forming rivers, rolling down my cheeks. I sat down on the chair, the only thing I heard was sobs from relatives. I tried not to think about what life would be like after the funeral without him. However, I just had to think of what this change would bring. How will this affect my everyday life? What kind of relationship will I get with my great grandmother? I never had a relationship with her like I did with him. My great grandfather was very fun to be around, I liked art, but I had never even thought about doing Acrylic†¦show more content†¦On the other hand, there was my great grandma Patricia, we didn’t have much of a relationship, well, we did, but just not like my great grandfather’s. She liked to watch westerns and those black and white movies. She didn’ t go fishing very much and we just didn’t have much in common. Well, about six months had passed and we were cleaning out my great grandma’s stuff to move in with my grandma. It was then I saw that she liked to paint, I liked art, but I never thought about painting, I liked drawing more than watercolors and I had never Acrylic painted before. We drove her home and then we started on adding on to grandma’s house. About a year after she moved in with my grandma. This was going to be a lot different. At school towards the end of sixth grade, we had a lady come and show all of the students about painting. I thought it was really cool and I wanted to do it, I asked my mom what kind of paint my great grandma used. She said she doesn’t know but thinks it was Acrylic paints. I got kind of excited, but I didn’t know how my great grandma would react. 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