Open AccessCrisis & Commitment: 150 Years of Service by Los Angeles County Public Hospitals
Author(s) -
Michael R. Cousineau,
Robert E. Tranquada
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
american journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.284
H-Index - 264
eISSN - 1541-0048
pISSN - 0090-0036
DOI - 10.2105/ajph.2006.091637
Subject(s) - medicaid , government (linguistics) , county government , public administration , public health , state (computer science) , welfare , state government , service (business) , political science , health care , medicine , environmental health , business , local government , law , nursing , philosophy , linguistics , algorithm , marketing , computer science
The Los Angeles County University of Southern California Medical Center will open soon, replacing the county's current 74-year-old facility with a modern, although smaller, facility. Los Angeles County has provided hospital care to the indigent since 1858, during which time, the operation of public hospitals has shifted from a state-mandated welfare responsibility to a preeminent part of the county's public health mission. As this shift occurred, the financing of Los Angeles County hospitals changed from primarily county support to state and federal government sources, particularly Medicaid. The success of the new hospital will depend on whether government leaders at all levels provide the reforms needed to help the county and its partners stabilize its funding base.