The Administration of Health Systems by Harrison, Martin; Arnold, Mary;

Short description:

In the late 1960s, American society entered a period of rapidly accelerating social change

Long description:

In the late 1960s, American society entered a period of rapidly accelerating social change. Certainty that U.S. vast scientific and technical capability would be able to find solutions to all problems began to turn to concern, as organizational efforts were unable to keep pace with new developments in a variety of areas.

The health field, with its focus on the well-being of individuals, felt the impact of these changes particularly strongly. Medicines became more focused on isolated health practices, as the patient's needs were attended to within groups of unrelated biological systems. The emerging thought represented in this collection pushes for the perception of health as a right rather than as something to be earned. It argues that deprivation of life-saving and life-fulfilling opportunities to any populations should not be tolerated. The editors also demand more awareness of the implications of isolated health activities and make the case for a comprehensive total health care system. Health is no longer just a biological function; quality of life is also a concern.

First published in 1971 by administrators of health agencies, teachers, and health personnel, this work presents perspectives on problems and interpretations of forces and issues that are of continuing importance to health administrators. The emphasis on the need to focus on the whole patient rather than just their illness, and on providing them with a good life, not just a disease free one, is still as valid today as it was when this volume was initially published.

Table of Contents:

PrefaceI. THE HEALTH SYSTEM1. Health in Our Changing World -Mary F. Arnold2. A Social Systems View of Health Action -Mary F. ArnoldII. THE ACTORS IN THE HEALTH SYSTEM3. Effects of Professionalism on Health Systems -Mary F. Arnold4. The Hospital Administrator's Emerging Professional Role -Rodney F. White5. Occupational Group Striving in Public Health -Ray H. Elling6. Organizational Control and the Public Health Nurse -Edna M. Grexton7. The Professional Association and Collective Bargaining: The Case of the American Nurses Association -Joseph A. AluttoIII. THE POLITICAL CONTEXT OF HEALTH ADMINISTRATION8. Emerging Patterns of Federalism: The Case of Public Health -David G. Smith9. Health Organization: The Public Administrator's View -Morris Schaefer10. Community Politics and Health Planning -Mary F. Arnold and Isabel M. Welsh11. Effects of Community P01ver on Hospital Organization-L. Vaughn Blankenship and Ray H. EllingIV. PLANNING AS A MEANS OF RATIONALIZING THE HEALTH SYSTEM12. The Ecological Perspective -Edward S. Rogers13. Philosophical Dilemmas in Health Planning -Mary F. Arnold14. Why We Need to Plan -Richard M. Bailey15. Tools for Planning -Mary F. Arnold16. Evaluation: A Parallel Process to Planning -Mary F. Arnold17. Agency Problems with Community Health Planning -Mary F. Arnold and Douglas L. HinkV. ORGANIZATIONAL PERSPECTIVES18. The Life Cycle Dynamics of Health Service Organizations -David B. Starkweather and Arnold I. Kisch19. Organizational Decision-Making -L. Vaughn Blankenship20. Economies of Scale in Outpatient Medical Practice -Richard M. Bailey21. Estimating Costs of Laboratory Error to the Patient -Edward L. Cavenaugh22. Health Officer Decision-Making: A Case Study -Mary F. Arnold23. Health Agency Decision-Making: An Operations Research Perspective -David H. StimsonIndex