6053 Week 3 Discussion: Organizational Policies and Practices to Support Healthcare Issues
Health care is a resource intensive industry that accounts for significant national spending. This awareness has placed medical organizations at the center of efforts to control costs while improving safety and quality. Yet, organizations and governments vary widely on the level of resources allocated, organization, financing, and extent to which policies influence the direction of change. As stakeholders are confronted with the challenge of how to improve performance, they must also contend with the reality of competing needs even as they operate (Ellis & Bach, 2015). The present post discusses the influence of competing needs on efforts to address the management of Covid-19 as a public concern.
Covid-19 has been identified as an issue of public concern with five strategies identified to help in improving efforts to manage the virus. The five strategies include: timely identification of new cases; scientific evidence that make efficient use of existing resources; collaborations to share resources, expertise and data; protected health workforce; and provision of essential services. The five strategies present ideal solutions for addressing the virus. However, the reality is that competing needs limit the application of the five strategies. Firstly, politics is a competing need as the government’s need for political mileage results in misinformation as well as limited government response. Trump administration has repeatedly understated the seriousness of the virus and its threat to public health. In addition, the government has undermined scientific advice by disregarding calls for social distancing and use of personal protective equipment in public areas. This concern can be addressed through creating a public information office that advices the government on information to present about the virus. The public information office would be comprised of health professionals who are knowledgeable about the virus and can synthesize current evidence to inform the public about the best ways of protecting themselves from the virus (Hatcher, 2020).
Secondly, economics and finance are a competing need as health professionals and experts advise Americans to keep ways from social and public activities in order to protect themselves from the virus, and yet they must engage in these activities in order to earn a living. The virus has taken a toll on the finances of Americans by keeping some of them from work and resulting in significant financial losses. In fact, job losses and inflation are a real concern even as lockdowns are implemented and Americans are forced to choose between missed work and risking their lives. Policy can address economics and finance through presenting effecting strategies for protecting the public members even at work. This would include making use of face masks and hand sanitizers, social distancing, and regular testing. In addition, the economic effects can be minimized through bailouts and tax reliefs (Human Rights Watch, 2020).
Thirdly, other existing health care concerns are a competing need as the fight against the virus takes up many resources so that other medical concerns are largely ignored. The fight against the virus has significantly impacted health services for other diseases. Many persons who need treatment for other disease are not receiving medical services and medicines they need as social distancing and lockdown policies are implemented. In addition, fear of contracting the virus keeps patients away from medical facilities. Medical services are postponed and disrupted even as staff are reassigned. This concern can be addressed through leveraging telemedicine to replace in-person consultations, and triaging to determine priorities (World Health Organization, 2020) 6053 Week 3 Discussion:
Organizational Policies and Practices
to Support Healthcare Issues
One must accept that health care accounts for significant national spending, thereby highlighting a need to control costs while improving safety and quality. In addition, one must acknowledge that competing needs has implications for health care policies. Covid-19 has been presented as a health care concern. Towards this end, politics, economics and finance, and other existing health care concerns have been identified as competing needs. Trump administration has repeatedly understated the virus, and this competing need can be addressed by creating a public information office that advices the government on information to present about the virus. Economic and finance presents are problem as people keep of work to protect themselves from the virus. This competing need can be addressed by presenting effecting strategies for protecting the public members even at work. Other existing health care concerns have been largely ignored as efforts are directed at fighting the virus. This competing need can be addressed by leveraging telemedicine to replace in-person consultations and triaging to determine priorities.
References
Ellis, P., & Bach, S. (2015).
Leadership, Management and Team Working in Nursing
(2
nd
ed.). SAGE Publications.
Hatcher, W. (2020). A Failure of Political Communication Not a Failure of Bureaucracy: The Danger of Presidential Misinformation During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The American Review of Public Administration
, 50(6-7), 614-620.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0275074020941734
Human Rights Watch (2020).
US: Address Impact of Covid-19 on Poor: Virus Outbreak Highlights Structural Inequalities
.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/03/19/us-address-impact-covid-19-poor
World Health Organization (2020).
COVID-19 significantly impacts health services for noncommunicable diseases
.
https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/01-06-2020-covid-19-significantly-impacts-health-services-for-noncommunicable-diseases
6053 Week 3 Discussion: Organizational Policies and Practices to Support Healthcare Issues
Leave a Reply