The right to health care--gains and gaps.

Abstract

The impact on health services of the individual rights and collective\nresponsibility embodied in the U.S. Constitution is examined in the areas of\nenvironmental protection, development of health resources, personal health\npromotion, and social financing of health care costs. Patterns of delivery of\nhealth care have shifted from predominantly individualistic ambulatory care to\ngroup practice increasingly associated with the prepayment of costs and the\nestablishment of community health centers. Problems remain in the need for\nmore integration of medical and social services in institutions and in the\ncommunity, more comprehensive community health centers not restricted to the\npoor, and quality control measures to regulate health maintenance\norganizations. The role of the law in advances in health care and the\nachievements of the American Public Health Association are also discussed. \n(KIE abstract)