Tobacco control policies have undergone a major boost in terms of protecting people from involuntary exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, but less progress has been made in the denormalization of smoking behaviour. We describe an experience focused on the educational environment, which included marking the waiting areas (streets) of primary schools in the city of Terrassa as «Smoke-free env...

As health care reform continues its rollout in the US, restructuring the delivery system is a growing focus. With a surge in demand for care as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), declining reimbursement rates from Medicare and Medicaid, and pressure for greater transparency in cost and quality, many health care organizations are assessing the potential rewards and...

The number of rural hospital closures has increased significantly in recent years. This trend is expected to continue, raising questions about the impact the closures will have on rural communities’ access to health care services. To investigate the factors that contribute to rural hospital closures and the impact those closures have on access to health care in rural communities, the Kaiser Com...

More than 15% of medical practice patients are in a high-risk category for leaving their current doctor and medical practice, according to a new study conducted by Press Ganey. The white paper, “Protecting Market Share in the Era of Reform: Understanding Patient Loyalty in the Medical Practice Segment,” was released in December 2013 and explores one of the key risks of increased access to healt...

The purpose of this article is to provide an informed comparison of health care in the United States and Canada along multiple dimensions. Specifically this article looks at coverage, access, cost, health outcomes, satisfaction, and underlying ideology. Canada fares better than the United States with regard to coverage, cost, and health outcomes. While overall access is better in Canada, patien...

After nearly a century of failed or incomplete legislative efforts, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), enacted by Congress in March 2010, establishes the principle that every American is entitled to affordable and effective health insurance coverage regardless of income or health status. Although many aspects of the act have received broad attention, its impact on reproduct...

Since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) became law in 2010, Minnesota has experienced historic increases in the number of residents covered by health insurance. What is less known is how rural Minnesota has fared within those statewide changes, not only in terms of insurance coverage but also across aspects of health care access such as affordability, service availability and use of medical care. E...