ESSENTIALS OF THE U.S. HEALTH CARE
SYSTEM CHAPTER 1 HIGH-YIELD HEALTH CARE
DELIVERY MODELS AND ORGANIZATION
SUMMARY 2026
◉ "Graying" of the population.
Answer: The increase in the proportion of older people in the
population.
Majority of the population is increasing their age
US will be confronted with more chronic health issues.
◉ US healthcare system.
Answer: most expensive systems in the world
$2.6 trillion on healthcare expenditures or 17.6% of its gross
domestic product
18% of all of the products are healthcare related
employers are offering less healthcare benefits - 67.5%
◉ Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Answer: The total value of all goods and services produced within a
nation's geographic borders over a specified period of time.
,The total finished products or services that are produced in a
country within a year
◉ Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA) or
(ACA).
Answer: An act enacted to increase the quality and affordability of
health insurance, lower the uninsured rate by expanding public and
private insurance coverage, and reduce the costs of healthcare for
individuals and the government.
It introduced mechanisms like mandates, subsidies, and insurance
exchanges.
◉ Primary Prevention.
Answer: An intervention or an activity that reduces health risks by
protecting healthy individuals from illness or disease before it even
occurs.
Avoids the development of disease
Examples:
-Promotion activities, health education
-Smoking cessation programs
, -immunization programs
-educational programs for pregnancy and employee safety
◉ Secondary Prevention.
Answer: An intervention to stop or slow the progress of risk factors
by early screening or treatment of the disease or injury.
Activities are focused on early disease detection, which prevents
progression of the disease
Many local health department implement secondary prevention
activites.
Examples:
-screening programs: high BP
-mammograms
◉ Tertiary Prevention.
Answer: An intervention to prevent further damage or injury, reduce
pain, slow the progression of the disease or injury, prevent the
disease or injury from causing further complications, and
rehabilitate as much as possible to improve quality.
SYSTEM CHAPTER 1 HIGH-YIELD HEALTH CARE
DELIVERY MODELS AND ORGANIZATION
SUMMARY 2026
◉ "Graying" of the population.
Answer: The increase in the proportion of older people in the
population.
Majority of the population is increasing their age
US will be confronted with more chronic health issues.
◉ US healthcare system.
Answer: most expensive systems in the world
$2.6 trillion on healthcare expenditures or 17.6% of its gross
domestic product
18% of all of the products are healthcare related
employers are offering less healthcare benefits - 67.5%
◉ Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Answer: The total value of all goods and services produced within a
nation's geographic borders over a specified period of time.
,The total finished products or services that are produced in a
country within a year
◉ Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA) or
(ACA).
Answer: An act enacted to increase the quality and affordability of
health insurance, lower the uninsured rate by expanding public and
private insurance coverage, and reduce the costs of healthcare for
individuals and the government.
It introduced mechanisms like mandates, subsidies, and insurance
exchanges.
◉ Primary Prevention.
Answer: An intervention or an activity that reduces health risks by
protecting healthy individuals from illness or disease before it even
occurs.
Avoids the development of disease
Examples:
-Promotion activities, health education
-Smoking cessation programs
, -immunization programs
-educational programs for pregnancy and employee safety
◉ Secondary Prevention.
Answer: An intervention to stop or slow the progress of risk factors
by early screening or treatment of the disease or injury.
Activities are focused on early disease detection, which prevents
progression of the disease
Many local health department implement secondary prevention
activites.
Examples:
-screening programs: high BP
-mammograms
◉ Tertiary Prevention.
Answer: An intervention to prevent further damage or injury, reduce
pain, slow the progression of the disease or injury, prevent the
disease or injury from causing further complications, and
rehabilitate as much as possible to improve quality.
