Unit VI Essay
Instructions
In this assignment, you are to write an essay comparing two countries of your choosing, from the Asia and Pacific regions.Your sections should include each of the following:
- an introduction to each country and their health care system,
- compare and contrast the health care systems of both countries,
- discuss the strengths and weakness of the health care systems,
- discuss the eight factors of health care systems and if the two chosen countries fit these, and
- a conclusion that summarizes the paper.
Your paper should be a minimum of four pages in length, and you should use at least three academic sources. Adhere to APA Style when constructing this assignment, including title page, headings, in-text citations, and references for all sources that are used. Please note that no abstract is needed.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction: Health care systems play a crucial role in the well-being of a country’s population. Understanding the different health care systems and how they operate is essential for healthcare professionals, policymakers and citizens. In this essay, we will compare and contrast the healthcare systems of Japan and Singapore.
Japan Health Care System
The Japan healthcare system is referred to as Universal Health Care (UHC), which provides comprehensive medical care, including medical, dental, and pharmaceutical services. The system is funded through a combination of public, private, and insurance premiums. The citizens in Japan are mandated by law to enroll in a health insurance plan. The government plays a significant role in providing healthcare through its funding of public health facilities, medical research, and development.
Singapore Health Care System
Singapore, on the other hand, operates a two-tier health care system, featuring a public and a private system. The public system, referred to as Medisave and Medishield, provides subsidies for basic medical care, and the private system offers more comprehensive and expensive healthcare services. The healthcare system is funded by a mix of government funding, insurance premiums, and out-of-pocket payments.
Comparison of Health Care Systems
Both healthcare systems, Japan and Singapore, provide quality healthcare services to their citizens. Japan’s UHC system offers comprehensive coverage for all its citizens, and no one is left without healthcare. Singapore’s healthcare system, on the other hand, has a two-tier system that caters to the rich and the poor.
Strengths and Weakness of Each Health Care System
One strength of Japan’s healthcare system is that it promotes preventive care and early detection of diseases through regular check-ups. Another strength is its equitable distribution of health care resources across the country, ensuring that every citizen receives access to quality medical care. However, a weakness of Japan’s healthcare system is its large out-of-pocket expenses that leave many patients with financial hardships.
Singapore’s healthcare system’s strengths include its high quality of care and a well-organized healthcare system. The private healthcare sector in Singapore offers many medical facilities to cater to the more affluent citizens, and the public healthcare system offers affordable and accessible healthcare to everyone. A weakness of Singapore’s healthcare system is its heavy reliance on individual financial contributions, which leave patients with financial challenges when they require specialized care.
Factors of Health Care Systems
The eight factors in a healthcare system are accessibility, affordability, equity, efficiency, quality, coordination, preventive and promotion of health, and sustainability. Both Japan and Singapore demonstrate these key features in their healthcare systems, ensuring that their citizens have access to quality medical care.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the healthcare systems of Japan and Singapore are among the best globally. Both countries demonstrate strengths in the key areas of accessibility, affordability, equity, efficiency, quality, coordination, preventive and promotion of health, and sustainability. However, the differences in their healthcare systems are worth noting, and policymakers should take cues from best practices that work to provide better healthcare to their nation.
