Encyclopedia of Health Services Research

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Today, as never before, healthcare has the ability to enhance the quality and duration of life. At the same time, healthcare has become so costly that it can easily bankrupt governments and impoverish individuals and families.Health services research is a highly multidisciplinary field, including such areas as health administration, health economics, medical sociology, medicine, , political science, public health, and public policy. The Encyclopedia of Health Services Research is the first single reference source to capture the diversity and complexity of the field. With more than 400 entries, these two volumes investigate the relationship between the factors of cost, quality, and access to healthcare and their impact upon medical outcomes such as death, disability, disease, discomfort, and dissatisfaction with care.Key FeaturesExamines the growing healthcare crisis facing the United StatesEncompasses the structure, process, and outcomes of healthcareAims to improve the equity, efficiency, effectiveness, and safety of healthcare by influencing and developing public policiesDescribes healthcare systems and issues from around the globeKey ThemesAccess to CareAccreditation, Associations, Foundations, and Research OrganizationsBiographies of Current and Past LeadersCost of Care, Economics, Finance, and Payment MechanismsDisease, Disability, Health, and Health BehaviorGovernment and International Healthcare OrganizationsHealth InsuranceHealth Professionals and Healthcare OrganizationsHealth Services ResearchLaws, Regulations, and EthicsMeasurement; Data Sources and Coding; and Research MethodsOutcomes of CarePolicy Issues, Healthcare Reform, and International ComparisonsPublic HealthQuality and Safety of CareSpecial and Vulnerable GroupsThe Encyclopedia is designed to be an introduction to the various topics of health services research for an audience including undergraduate students, graduate students, andgeneral readers seeking non-technical descriptions of the field and its practices. It is also useful for healthcare practitioners wishing to stay abreast of the changes and updates in the field.