Access to Healthcare Access to healthcare refers to the ease with which an individual can obtain necessary medical services. Many Americans face barriers that make it difficult to obtain basic healthcare services. These barriers to services include lack of availability, high costs, and lack of insurance coverage. “Limited access to healthcare impacts people's ability to reach their full potential, negatively impacting their quality of life.” (Access to Health Services, 2014) Access to health services comprises four components which include coverage, services, timeliness and workforce. Coverage Health insurance makes it easier to enter the healthcare system. Uninsured people are less likely to receive medical care and more likely to have poor health. Many Americans forego medical care because they cannot afford it or have difficulty paying medical bills. “In the United States, adults are more likely to go without health care due to costs” (Schoen, Osborn, Squires, Doty, & Pierson, 2010). Many of the currently uninsured or underinsured are forced to accept inferior plans with large out-of-pocket costs or cannot afford the coverage offered by private health insurers. This lack of adequate coverage makes it difficult for people to get the health care they need and can have a particularly severe impact on a person's health and stability. Services Improving health services depends in part on ensuring that people have a usual and ongoing source of care. . Not having somewhere to usually go when you are sick or need health advice delays necessary care, which increases your risk. People with a usual source of care are more likely to have routine checkups and screenings and are more likely to know where to go for care...... middle of paper ......n of health organizations ( JCAHO) and the American Medical Accreditation Program (AMAP), just to name a couple. Each of the accreditation bodies is unique in terms of its mission, activities, board composition and organizational history, and each develops its own accreditation process and programs and establishes its own accreditation standards. . “Accreditation of a healthcare facility or program is a symbol of quality, similar to the Good Housekeeping seal of approval that tells the public that the organization or program has met certain standards.” (Goode, 2001) Accreditation demonstrates that the healthcare facility has undergone the accreditation process and has met all the requirements necessary to obtain qualification. Accreditation has generally been seen as a desirable process for establishing standards and working towards higher quality care.