Legal Foundations of Health Care - Essay Example

Legal foundation of health care International history records transitions in concepts and applications that become more sophisticated with time. The United States health care has not been an exception and its history, in the 20th century and the first decade of the 21st century identifies significant progress. I, in this paper, discuss the major developments that have been realized by the nation’s health care facilities in the period and major drivers to the progress.The 20th century was rich in innovations and discoveries that included identification of diseases and approaches to managing diseases and infections.

Progress in health care facilities was also significant and began immediately into the century. The developments began in the year 1903 with Willem’s invention of electrocardiograph, a development that facilitated diagnosis and therapies. The “first basal metabolism apparatus” in 1906 was another development in the industry (Pozgar, 2012, p. 9). The “Wassermann test” followed this in the same year before invention of the “fluoroscopic screen” two years later. Tests on functionality of the pancreas were also developed by the year 1906.

The progression in facilities also included equipments for taking blood based tests and tests on other body fluids as well as development of health care laboratories (Pozgar, 2012). Developments was further realized in establishment of training facilities for health care personnel, as was the case of the Foundation of the American College of Surgeons, in the year 1913. Progress in health care facilities however slugged after the year 1929 because of effects of the First World War and the Great Depression but was later facilitated by profit-oriented ventures in the health care sector.

Computerization was another development in the period and was realized towards the end of the 20th century. Its features were vested in healthcare technology such as “computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography” (Pozgar, 2012, p. 10). These developments in medical technologies have also been the major identified elements of progression in the 21st century. The progression has adopted the developed trend in towards the end of the 20th century when care providers sought to resolve existing and emerging problems in the society and to attain efficiencies in their operations.

Other developments in healthcare facilities in the period include development of antibiotics and equipments for managing infections, development of pharmaceutical products, establishment and expansion of facilities, and development of equipments and techniques for organ transplant and gene therapy (Cunningham, n.d).The need to solve health problems that faced the society is one of the major driving factors to the progress in healthcare facilities in the 20th century. Health education that emerged in the century and its associated practical learning is another driver to the developments because it formed a basis for innovation.

Developments in the technology industry and interdependence between healthcare practices and technology also contributed to the progression that has computerized health care processes. Entry into the sector by profit oriented organizations that have facilitated the need for efficiency and quality is another factor into the realized progression in healthcare facilities in the past 100 years (Pozgar, 2012; Cunningham, n.d).The past 100 years has realized a significant progression in the United States’ health care facilities.

Though the progression was negative after the year 1930, it recovered to record development of techniques and equipments for diagnosis and treatment. Health care problems, education, technological developments, and the need for efficiency and quality are some of the drivers to the progression in the period. ReferencesCunningham, W. (n.d). The development of the U.S. health care system and its problems. University of California. Retrieved from: http://www.ph.ucla.edu/hs/hs_100_4_02_lecture_cunningham.pdf.Pozgar, G (2012).

Legal aspects of health care administration (11th ed.) Sudbury, MA:Jones & Bartlett.