Community Nursing – Week 2 – Health Policy, Politics, and Reform
Please answer the questions below:
1. You Have learned about health information technology (HIT) in this chapter. Give a few examples for the application of HIT in the clinical practice. Explain the main barriers of using HIT in the healthcare system.
Follow the 3 x 3 rule: minimum three paragraphs per DQ, with a minimum of three sentences each paragraph.
All answers or discussions comments submitted must be in APA format according to Publication Manual American Psychological Association (APA) (6th ed.) 2009 ISBN: 978-1-4338-0561-5
Minimum of two references, not older than 2015.
Provide plagiarism report
Chapter 3: Health Policy, Politics, and Reform
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
Chapter Highlights #1
Healthcare policy and the political process
Healthcare finance and cost–benefit in relation to health policy
Access to healthcare and insurance facts in the United States
Healthcare workforce diversity and its effects on the quality of healthcare
Nursing’s role in shaping healthcare policy
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
Chapter Highlights #2
Quality of care and evaluation
Information management facts
Equity in healthcare access
Ethical consideration in health policy
Political advocacy, how to be politically active and advocate
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
Chapter Highlights #3
Health advocacy and healthcare reform
Affordable Care Act (ACA) overview and updates
Community-based services and healthcare reform
Health services research application to healthcare policy
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
Healthcare Policy and Political Process
Policies: set of principles that govern an action to achieve a given outcome, or guidelines that direct individuals’ behavior toward a specific goal
Public health policy: decisions made in regard to the health of the individual and the community
Health policies: impact on the health of an individual, a family, and a population or community
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
Question #1
Is the following statement true or false?
Health policies impact on the health of an individual, a family, and a population or community.
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
6
Answer to Question #1
True
Rationale: Health policies impact on the health of an individual, a family, and a population or community.
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
Involving Politics
Process of influencing the allocation of resources needed to enable policy and involves the strategies needed to achieve the desired goals.
Policy-making takes a great deal of effort, time, and commitment.
Setting an agenda
Policy formulation
Policy adoption
Policy implementation
Policy assessment
Policy modification
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
Healthcare Finances and Cost-Benefit
Economics is the study of how individuals, groups, organizations, and society allocate and utilize resources.
When a policy is evaluated for its effectiveness, there is an interest in keeping the cost of a specific health program within reason, and it is critical to consider the overall costs and benefits of an existing program when a more efficient and effective service is identified and adopted.
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
Access to Care and Health Insurance
The U.S. healthcare system is a unique system of both independent and collaborative power and action by both federal and state governments.
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
Question #2
Is the following statement true or false?
The U.S. healthcare system is a unique system of both independent power and action by the federal government.
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
Answer to Question #2
False
Rationale: The U.S. healthcare system is a unique system of both independent and collaborative power and action by both federal and state governments.
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
Nursing’s Role in Shaping Healthcare Policy
Nursing has a rich history as a unique profession, with its own values, ethics, respect, integrity, and responsibility. Nurses’ contributions to the policies are unlimited; there is a need for greater coordination of action to ensure that nursing is actively supported and involved in influencing and shaping health and healthcare policies.
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
Historical Highlights on Nursing Political Involvement
Mid-‘70s and early ‘80s: Political involvement of nurses
1976: Important year of advocacy
1990s: Nurses included in healthcare policy formation
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
What Does It Mean to Be Politically Active?
Personal and professional political involvement of nurses
Nurses must be knowledgeable about issues, laws, and policy
Why is nurse-informed political involvement?
Direct caregivers
Awareness of patient safety and satisfaction, access to services, clinical outcomes, and health disparities
Positioned to see impact of policy on individuals
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
Nursing Advocacy and Policy Participation
Patient advocacy
Political advocacy
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
How to Be Politically Involved?
Evidence-based practice examples
Nurses’ milestones in policy development have contributed to:
Quality outcomes
Decreases in cost
Expanded access
Major differences to the health of the nation
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
Advocacy Activities of Professional Nursing Organizations
Role of professional nursing organizations
ANA
NLN
ICN
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
Current Situation of Nursing Involvement: Challenges and Barriers
Not enough time to get involved
Heavy workloads with understaffing
Perception of powerlessness
Gender issues
Political action breaching family time
Anxiety with public speaking
Lack of knowledge in legislative process
Fear of retaliation
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
Quality of Care
Safety
Effectiveness
Patient centeredness
Timeliness
Equality
Quality of care is defined by the Institute of Medicine (2001) as the degree to which health services for individuals and populations increase the likelihood of desired outcomes, and are consistent with current knowledge.
It is extremely difficult to evaluate the complexities of the quality of care for the U.S. population.
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
Information Management
U.S. policy-makers have made the adoption of health information technology a priority so that health records can be kept electronically, assisting patients, providers, and insurers.
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
Equity and Equality in Healthcare Access and Quality
Because of the vast disparities in healthcare access and quality, President Obama has made healthcare his top priority, promising affordable and adequate healthcare insurance for all Americans.
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
Question #3
Is the following statement true or false?
Equality is healthcare that does not vary in quality because of gender, race, ethnicity, geographic location, or socioeconomic status.
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
Answer to Question #3
True
Rationale: Equality is healthcare that does not vary in quality because of gender, race, ethnicity, geographic location, or socioeconomic status.
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
Community-Based Services Association with Healthcare Reform
Federally qualified health centers
Patient-centered medical home
Accountable care organizations
Meaningful use
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
Ethical Considerations
ANA Code of Ethics with Interpretive Statements
Code of Ethics for Nurses
Social Policy Statement
Scope and Standards of Practice in Nursing
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
Health Advocacy and Healthcare Reform
Advocacy is collaborating with colleagues and engaging in conversations with decision-makers
Healthcare systems are dynamic
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
Overview of the ACA Prior to the End of Obama Presidency
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved
Health Services Research
Research continues to be an influencing power by documenting the need for accelerated reform in order to achieve quality care, proper information management, insurance for all, and equity of access.
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer · All Rights Reserved