Access to health care refers to the ease with which an individual can obtain needed medical services. RAND research has examined the social, cultural, economic, and geographic factors that influence health care access worldwide; the effects of changes in access; and the relationship between access and health for specific U.S. populations—including racial and ethnic minorities, people with limited English proficiency, the uninsured, the elderly, children, and veterans.
Report
Are patients willing to travel for healthcare? RAND Europe's report on patient choice.
Research Brief
Stakeholders in communities in which health care access was disrupted by Hurricane Katrina were engaged in an assessment of health priorities, as well as in data interpretation and plan design, to produce a sustainable community-academic partnership.
Research Brief
Presents findings from the Teen Depression Awareness Project, which explored how depression affects teens, the factors that influence teens' readiness to seek treatment for depression, and the barriers that teens and parents face when seeking care.
Report
This document explores how requiring individuals to obtain health insurance (an individual mandate) would affect health system performance along nine dimensions.
Report
This document explores how requiring employers to offer health insurance (an employer mandate) would affect health system performance along nine dimensions.
Report
This document explores how increased use of bundled payment approaches would affect health system performance along nine dimensions.
Report
This document explores how expanding Medicaid/SCHIP eligibility would affect health system performance along nine dimensions.
Report
This document explores how a refundable tax credit to offset the cost of health insurance premiums would affect health system performance along nine dimensions.
Journal Article
This study found that patients were satisfied with the overall experience and were attracted to retail clinics because of their convenient locations and fixed, transparent pricing.
Journal Article
To better understand the potential for retail clinics, the authors describe the sociodemographic characteristics of the communities in which they operate.
Journal Article
This commentary suggests that rationing health care is inevitable and urges physicians to lead the way in developing a plan to do it reasonably and equitably.
Journal Article
The participation of the private sector in providing health care in developing countries is associated with greater access to care and reduced disparities between rich and poor and urban and rural populations.
Journal Article
National health surveys can provide information, including measures of special health care needs, that can improve risk-adjustment models and help provide appropriate payments to managed-care plans serving vulnerable children.
Journal Article
One in 5 pediatricians reported that inadequate reimbursement prevented their using 1 or more combination vaccines. Vaccination was less likely in smaller practices, and those with a lower proportion of publicly insured patients.
Journal Article
Community members emphasized healthcare access challenges; unmet needs of specific vulnerable populations; and opportunities, resources, and community adaptations to improve healthcare access.
Journal Article
School-based mental health counselors and administrators need greater organizational structure that supports school counselors and provides system-level support for services after a disaster.
Journal Article
This study found that a dramatic increase between 2001 and 2005 in the number of uninsured children with special health care needs who were eligible for SCHIP.
Research Brief
Assesses children's health issues in Washington, D.C., including the health care delivery system and neighborhood health environments.
Report
Evaluates ten demonstrations to increase recruitment and retention among direct service workers -- workers who provide personal assistance or nonmedical services to people who need help with activities of daily living.
Report
This document explores how creating or expanding access to purchasing pools would affect health system performance along nine dimensions.
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