1. Research the delivery, finance, management, and sustainability methods of the U.S. health care system. Evaluate the effectiveness of one or more of these areas on quality patient care and health outcomes. Propose a potential health care reform solution to improve effectiveness in the area you evaluated and predict the expected effect. Describe the effect of health care reform on the U.S. health care system and its respective stakeholders. Support your post with a peer-reviewed journal article. 400 words, references within 5 years
2. The Affordable Care Act was signed into law by President Barack Obama in March 2010. Many of the provisions of the law directly affect health care providers. Review the following topic materials:
1. “About the Affordable Care Act” 2. “Health Care Transformation: The Affordable Care Act and More”
What are the most important elements of the Affordable Care Act in relation to community and public health? What is the role of the nurse in implementing this law? 400 words references within 5 years
Expert Solution Preview
Question 1:
Introduction:
The United States healthcare system is one of the most expensive systems in the world. There are various challenges in delivering quality care to the patients, which require addressing methods of delivery, finance, management, and sustainability. This essay evaluates the effectiveness of one of these areas of the U.S. healthcare system on quality patient care and health outcomes. It also proposes a potential healthcare reform solution to improve effectiveness in the area evaluated and predicts expected effects. Furthermore, it describes the effect of health care reform on the U.S. health care system and its respective stakeholders.
Answer:
One of the significant problems within the U.S. healthcare delivery system is the high cost of healthcare that is not proportional to the quality of patient outcomes. Additionally, access to healthcare is not universal, leading to disparities among patients regarding healthcare services delivery. The effectiveness of healthcare finance methods can be evaluated using managed care systems. The managed care system is a type of healthcare delivery system that combines health insurance and healthcare delivery. The system aims to reduce the cost of healthcare and maximize value for patients. The managed care system promotes preventive care through timely diagnosis of illnesses and follow-ups. By controlling the cost, the managed care system increases the availability of healthcare resources, leading to improved health outcomes.
To improve the effectiveness of the U.S. healthcare delivery system, potential healthcare reform solutions include increasing access to healthcare, implementing strict healthcare cost controls, providing incentives for healthcare providers who provide quality healthcare services, and increasing healthcare awareness among patients. It is expected that healthcare reform solutions will lead to improved healthcare outcomes and reduced healthcare costs. Healthcare reform may also lead to an increase in the number of insured patients, providing further opportunities for healthcare providers to deliver quality healthcare services.
Morrisey, M. A., & Brooks, R. G. (2018). Health Policy Issues. In Encyclopedia of Health Economics (Vol. 1, pp. 222-231). Elsevier.
Question 2:
Introduction:
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is one of the most significant health reform policies signed into law by President Barack Obama in March 2010. The Act has had significant impacts on health care providers and the community. This essay evaluates the most crucial elements of the Affordable Care Act in relation to community and public health. It also describes the role of the nurse in implementing this law.
Answer:
The ACA has various crucial elements related to community and public health. One of the most significant elements of ACA is the expansion of Medicaid to cover more low-income individuals. This provision has significantly increased access to healthcare services and reduced health disparities among communities. Additionally, the ACA has implemented measures to encourage preventive care services, which promote the wellness of individuals and communities, leading to better health outcomes. The ACA has also implemented measures to improve the quality of healthcare services delivered. For example, the law requires healthcare providers to implement electronic health records, which improves care coordination and reduces healthcare costs.
The ACA has created new opportunities for nurses to participate in delivering healthcare services to the community. Nurses can provide health education and preventive care services to patients. Additionally, the ACA has provided funding for the nurse education and training program, increasing the number of nurses available to deliver healthcare services to the community. Nurses can also participate in healthcare quality improvement initiatives, which improve the quality of healthcare services delivered.
Feldstein, A. C., & Schneider, J. E. (2013). Health Care Reform and Primary Care—The Growing Importance of the Community Health Center. New England Journal of Medicine, 369(9), 793–795. doi: 10.1056/nejmp1303660.
