ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses four major parts of the healthcare ecosystem. They are: Patients/Consumers; the United State (US) Payers and Providers; Oversight and; Technology and Infrastructure. The organization of the current healthcare ecosystem primarily reflects the provider's perspective. It attempts to balance what providers have thought is best for patients with the provider's personal interests. The priority of persons/consumers in the healthcare ecosystem is of special interest to health information technology IT professionals in long-term/post-acute care LTPAC settings because consumers are increasingly requesting electronic versions of their charts from their providers. The US Payers and Providers component of the healthcare ecosystem is by far the most complex part of the ecosystem. The component of the healthcare ecosystem involves those entities and efforts involved in the oversight of the delivery of healthcare services: Laws and Regulations and Regulatory Bodies. The chapter describes the characteristics and services of different types of healthcare provider organizations.
