Language
Country/Area
No result found
Los Angeles' medical miracle: How this city's health system became the second-largest in the U.S.
As the medical system of the second largest city in the United States, the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services is of a scale and influence that cannot be underestimated. The department is responsible for Los Angeles County's public hospitals and clinics and runs a vast health care network that provides services from emergency to rehabilitation. California's Medicare program and its efforts to target low-income residents have made health services an increasingly important force in meeting community needs.
In 2015-16, the health service provided care to more than 643,856 unique patients, with a total of 2,457,174 medical visits.
The Department of Health Services system includes four hospitals and dozens of outpatient clinics. These include many well-known institutions such as Los Angeles General Medical Center, Harbour-Ukla Medical Center and Oliver-Ukla Medical Center. These institutions not only provide medical services, but also are committed to health education and community health promotion.
Historical evolution
Los Angeles County's healthcare system has been in operation since the 1860s. At that time, the county government began to set up hospitals to provide services for the poor, and as social needs changed, the Health Services Department gradually took shape. In 1966, the former charitable sector was split to better manage medical institutions and social services, a change that led to a more professional operation of the health system.
In 1972, the Los Angeles County Department of Hospitals and the Department of Health were finally merged into the Department of Health Services to improve the integration of services.
Health Service Facilities
The Los Angeles Department of Health Services operates a wide range of facilities, including dozens of outpatient clinics, four hospitals and specialized rehabilitation centers. Each medical institution aims to provide high-quality services to people with different needs. Hospitals such as Harbour-Ukrainian Medical Center and Los Angeles General Medical Center have been widely recognized for their achievements and their strengths in specific medical areas attract large numbers of patients.
Harbour-Ukrainian Medical Center was ranked 26th in the Los Angeles area in the 2012-13 Best Hospitals in the United States and received a "highly effective" rating for its nephrology program.
Evolving Medical Programs
Programs such as "Healthy Access LA" and "My Healthy LA" run by the Department of Health Services not only provide medical coverage to low-income people, but are also important measures to combat the problem of uninsurance. These programs are implemented with the goal of improving the health of communities by expanding health coverage.
'Healthy Passage LA' is a medical insurance plan for low-income residents, which helps a large number of residents below the poverty line obtain necessary medical services.
Social responsibility and health equity
The Los Angeles Department of Health Services is aware of its responsibility in social health. The department's work focuses not only on providing medical services, but also on breaking down social inequality barriers and ensuring that every resident has access to fair health care. . Whether it is in the relocation of homeless persons or in community activities for health promotion, the Department of Health Services is committed to improving the overall health of the community.
The Healthy Housing Program provides housing to homeless people with chronic conditions and has significantly reduced emergency department visits.
Looking forward to future challenges
As U.S. healthcare policies change and the demographic structure evolves, Los Angeles' healthcare system is facing new challenges. Whether it is how to continue to improve service quality or attract new funds to maintain the operation of health plans, these are issues that must be resolved in the future. How to find a balance among the growing demands will be the core issue now and in the future.
Los Angeles' health system not only needs to continue to innovate, but also must seek new support at the policy level to meet future challenges.
The layout and operation mode of Los Angeles' medical system are unique in the United States. It is not just a place to treat diseases, but also an important institution to improve the overall quality of life of residents. But in such a huge system, what kind of innovation and cooperation model will future sustainable development depend on?
