Quality And Affordability

Department of Health and Human Services, I attended the 2016 Research and Evaluation Conference on Self-Sufficiency (RECS).The conference focused on programs, policies and services that support low-income and vulnerable families on the path to economic self-sufficiency and well-being. At the conference, I met with state and local government administrators, Federal officials and policymakers, and researchers at different functions and events. Subsequently the conference, activities confirmed my growing interest in preventive medicine, outcomes and effectiveness, and quality of care, particularly within the private/managed care sector. These are my strongest interests for the reason that I believe they are fundamental to our nation’s health. We must achieve efficiency and access without sacrificing quality. Consequently, I intend to obtain a degree in public health and ultimately specialize in health policy and management in order to implement evidence based policies that may improve the health of low socioeconomic minorities in the United

Patient access to affordable health care is an ongoing issue in the United States. The first portion of the policy process involves three different stages, the formulation stage, legislative stage, and the implementation stage. Three main stages exist in the process to transform a topic into a policy (Morone, J. A., Litman, T. J., & Robins, L.S., 2008). Coupled with the implementation stage is an evaluation of all the stages to determine effectiveness and gather information for use in future public health care policy making. In the formulation stage, the ideas, concepts, and information steam from this process of policy making. The

Every individual in the world deserves to enjoy health and wellness. Maintaining or achieving proper health needs enables individuals to be productive at work and leisure. Traditionally, many people have had barriers obtaining adequate healthcare due to economic constraints or personal inconveniences. Despite impressive technological advances in medicine, the challenge of delivering quality healthcare to the Americans continues to be debated amongst the nation’s political and healthcare leaders. The aging baby-boomers and the increased number of uninsured people add to the equation of population growth which results in limited access to primary healthcare for the entire public. On the

The public health profession has long recommended that local public health agencies periodically conduct community health assessments (CHA) and community health improvement plans (CHIP) to inform and guide their activities.5 A 1988 IOM report, The Future of Public Health, recommended that “every public health agency regularly and systematically collect, assemble, analyze and make available information on the health of the community, including statistics on health status, community health needs, and epidemiologic and other studies of health problems.”5 Community health improvement plan (CHIP) is defined as "a long-term, systematic effort to address health problems on the basis of the results of assessment activities and the community health improvement

Health care in the United States has become a major concern to many Americans. Health care is a part of every person’s life to ensure we continue to live a long eventless life. Many Americans cannot afford the high prices for proper treatment to stay healthy when in need of care. The United States has the highest cost for health care amongst the world; to mitigate these costs, we need additional support from the government to negotiate set standards between health care providers, fewer malpractice lawsuits, and fewer uninsured residents.

Out of the Ten Essential Public Health Services it is clear that Healthy People’s 2020 goal is using all ten of the services. They have been monitoring the health status of individuals in a community for health problems. They are diagnosing and investigating that health problems are a concern to the community. They are making it a point to inform, educate, and involve people about the current health issues. They are including the community and partnerships to help solve the health issues, and are developing policies and plans to support individual and community health efforts. Some places are enforcing policies and regulations to protect individual’s health and ensure safety. These policies are then linking the personal that is needed to assure the provision of health care. The public health and personal health care is competent, and they are evaluating the effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of personal and population-based health services. The research is continuing to look for new insights and ways to solve these health care issues (Hunting & Gleason, 2012). Not only are all Ten of the Essential Public Health Services being used, but so are all three of the core functions which include; assessment, policy development, and assurance (Hunting & Gleason, 2012).

Health problems are a growing concern for individuals today, as health-related issues increase in complexity and require a multi-faceted approach to prevention and treatment. Additionally, there is also a large, underserved population that exists within the U.S. at present. The Banner Health Network (BHN) recognizes this adversity and through strategic planning is transforming healthcare to overcome this challenge. Banner has created one of the largest health systems in this country and is striving to meet the global healthcare needs of citizens. One of the ways that Banner is effecting change is by performing community health assessments wherein information regarding community health status, local public health systems, and legislative and demographic forces

Thus, Kaiser Permanente is working in a rapidly changing health care environment that requires constant change. Their mission is to provide high quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of their members and the communities they serve (KP, 2016a). Their vision states they are trusted partners in total health, collaborating with people to help them thrive, and creating communities that are among the healthiest in the nation (KP, 2016a). Therefore, advancing the mission on affordability will help them achieve their main goals, to perform, grow, and lead while keeping affordability at the center (Kaiser Permanente, personal communication, February 2015). First, drive performance in care, quality, and service at a lower cost, enabled by their people, places, and technology. Second, pursue core and new growth with an increasing focus on consumers. Third, lead national health care change through expertise, trust, and

Changes in access to health care across different populations are the chief reason for current disparities in health care provision. These changes occur for several reasons, and some of the main factors that contribute to the problem in the United States are: Lack of health insurance – Several racial, ethnic, socioeconomic and other minority groups lack adequate health insurance coverage in comparison with people who can afford healthcare insurance. The majority of these individuals are likely to put off health care or go without the necessary healthcare and medication that is needed. Lack of financial resources – Lack of accessibility to funding is a barrier to health care for a lot of people living in the United States

Healthcare is always presumed to be a complex subject that no one really wants to look into, the delivery system just seems to have too many intricate details. There are five specific factors with regards to the delivery of care: accessibility, affordability, availability, accommodation, and acceptability (Shi & Singh, 2015, p. 485). These dimensions of access determine how care is delivered and how effective this care is for every individual. America’s delivery of healthcare did not simply just appear with the Affordable Care Act but has undergone many changes since the early eighteen hundreds. There is a difference in how healthcare is financed, the many different components and health service professionals

Financing the United States (U.S.) health care system is complicated and difficult at best. The role policy makers and health care professionals play in the reform and restructuring of the U.S. health care system is very important. The overarching consideration of supply and demand in the U.S. health care system relies on a workforce, financing, and cost of delivering quality healthcare to the U.S. population (Knickman & Kover, 2015). To improve overall quality of care, healthcare providers and policy makers have to look at how services are going to be structured in the future. In this essay we will be exploring how health care services can be financed and at what level: government, state, local or private, is there a way to deliver cost effective and accessible heath care, and consider the ethical dilemmas related to achieving quality, accessible, national health care.

Currently, our nation is experiencing a vast socioeconomic disparity in access to primary and preventative care. Studies have shown, “the

The healthcare industry today has recognized the urgency of population health management in response to increasing healthcare costs, standards in quality, and alternative payment models particularly in Accountable Care (Shiple & Danaher, 2012). From the film presentation of Health Catalyst regarding the success story of New Ulm, Minnesota with population health management, we can derive that it is possible for providers, payers, and communities to work in close collaboration to further population health initiatives (Health Catalyst, 2016). The film highlighted the necessity of a solid partnership between all stakeholders in the community to ensure all their goals are achieved.

Employment provides resources and benefits that supports a healthier life style. An individual’s ability to access affordable quality health care is essential to their physical, social and mental health. Instead of spending the budget on health fairs and educational lectures, the hospital should implement a strategy that will increase job opportunities, allow the health care professionals to educate the community to promote healthier lifestyles, and provide case management and follow up to those who are limited to quality clinical care. By creating opportunities the local workforce will strengthen, provide more individuals access to resources and quality health care and improve the health of the overall community. Although the hospital cannot meet all the unmet health needs within the community, health within the community is a shared responsibility of hospitals, public agencies and other important stakeholders within the community. Also according to Linn, Sandifer, and Stein health and social factors are closely related with considering community health rankings. This is why it is important for the hospital to leverage their resources to improve health and the quality of life within the

Have you ever wondered exactly what the government does for our country in regards to health care? Many have the impression that the government is not really of much assistance to them. However, in reality, the government does more than most people realize. The government actually plays a vital role in health care but most people look past it. I am sure very few people have actually sat down and pondered or even have done research to find out the impact of the government’s role in health care. However, I intend to clear up this misconception. The federal and state governments are the largest supporters of health care services in the United States. Examples of support that our government provides include assisting those