Impact of the Policy on accessibility, quality and cost of healthcare
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community has experienced episodes of discrimination and outright unfair treatment. This has been promoted by the fact that there is little information available to the public regarding their state and things that they need to exist peaceful in the society. One of the components that would go a long way to ensuring that their welfare is enhanced is the health sector. To begin with, it would be proper and fair to put in place a working office fully furnished with both human and non-human resources. The non-human resources would be in the line of relevant materials such as the medical brochures that would seek to recognize the plight and existence of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community (Fredriksen-Goldsen et al., 83). Also, it would be fair to publish books and medical journals that explicitly articulate their medical spheres. The intention would be to increase the pool of medical knowledge that pertains to them. As such, existing non-human resources would be equipped properly to handle their situation.
The human resources would additionally imply that the doctors and other medical personnel are informed of the medical anatomy and the psychological disposition of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community. In all fairness, it would mean that they would have a wider spectrum or pool of medical experts within their reach. As such, a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) person would be assured of professional care with ease. In principle, once the knowledge of the medical caregiver is enhanced, the quality would rise proportionately and as such the LGBT would have the easier time to access quality and professional medical assistance. Intuitively, the laws of demand and supply dictate that when the supply is high, demand or price will fall. Thus, when there are many medical professionals (representing supply), the demand or cost of such care would fall implying that the medical cost would fall proportionately.
Action Plan to Affect the Disparities
Secondly, it would be proper to introduce and recognizable medical insurance covers for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community. However, it is important to mention and state categorically that this is not some form of disability but rather a societal misconception fuelled by the lack of understanding. Thus, it would be proper to offer to delineate in the legal framework some special levies that would help them seek medical assistance that may be inadequate and expensive to acquire for them in the current disposition and time. For instance, it would be fair to give the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community a slight bonus so as to cover the negative externalities and setbacks that may come along their way in their plight to seek proper medical attention. It is akin to saying that the government would create an enabling environment that would support them and encourage them to come forward and seek medical assistance (Mustanski, Garofalo and Emerson 2428). This argument and logic stem from the fact that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) as a community may experience bias and lack of integration by the medical practitioners. In some cases, it may be due to lack of knowledge or expertise on how to handle the physical and mental or psychological disposition of the LGBT. In some other cases, it may border on the cultural incompetence that might stem from societal stereotypes and prejudices that would lead to stigma. Accordingly, the medical cover would caution the LGBT against such eventualities. It would also be fair and proper to offer competitive remuneration to the medical practitioners as a form of motivation.
Subsequently, it would be proper to increase the level of competence of the medical caregivers by integrating relevant studies that touch on the medical aspects of the LGBT. It is to say that the state should introduce mandatory seminar and refresher courses that would seek to educate and enlighten the level of skills of the medics so as to equip them better. For instance, it would be proper and mandatory that before a medical officer is employed, he or she would have to undergo proper and extensive training n on how to handle the LGBT. Thus, in the end, it would be beneficial because the whole work force of medical practitioners would have gained the requisite skills and knowledge on how to handle and treat the LGBT.
Lastly, would be to legalize sanctions that would prohibit any form of discrimination of mistreatment extended to the LGBT community. It implies that any medical practitioner who exhibits any tendencies that would demean or stigmatize a LGBT person would be sanctioned through hefty fines, revocation of practice license or imprisonment in some cases. As such it would be proper to integrate such terms in the constitutional and legal framework of countries so as to prohibit any prospects of discrimination or ill-treatment that may occur.
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Action Plan
Firstly, would be the advent of sexual education that incorporates the aspects of LGBT in the learning curriculum of schools. This would mean that the elementary learning structure of the society would have integrate largely the components and aspects of LGBT (Nadal 8). Secondly, the fact that the state would introduce specialized or unique medical insurance covers and schemes for LGBT community would mean that the action plan would be adopted (Lim, Brown and Kim 29). The moment that the state has shown any positive sign of introducing medical insurance cover would be another parameter or evaluating the success of the proposed action plan. In the same line of thought and argument, if the number of medical practitioners and professionals who are well versed in aspects of LGBT increases would be a basis for gainful evaluation. For instance, if there is a sharp increase in psychologists and medical experts who have specialized in the provision of care to LGBT increases would be a rationale for evaluation. Introspectively, the number of practitioners who would have specialized in this aspect would be a conclusive basis of adjacent evaluation. Additionally, if there is any sanction such as fine or revocation of fine is extended to a practitioner would also be a standard form of evaluation. It is proper to assert that the articulated or proposed action may be effective, but there must be societal and professional deviants. As such they would be sanctioned accordingly, forming another criterion of evaluation. Relatively, the number of sanctioned deviants would be a great pointer.
Works Cited
Duncan, Dustin T., and Mark L. Hatzenbuehler. "Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender hate crimes and suicidality among a population-based sample of sexual-minority adolescents in Boston." American journal of public health104.2 (2014): 272-278.
Fredriksen-Goldsen, Karen I., et al. "Creating a vision for the future: Key competencies and strategies for culturally competent practice with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults in the health and human services." Journal of gerontological social work 57.2-4 (2014): 80-107.
Lim, Fidelindo A., Donald V. Brown Jr, and Sung Min Justin Kim. "CE: Addressing Health Care Disparities in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Population: A Review of Best Practices." AJN The American Journal of Nursing 114.6 (2014): 24-34.
Mustanski, Brian S., Robert Garofalo, and Erin M. Emerson. "Mental health disorders, psychological distress, and suicidality in a diverse sample of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youths." American journal of public health 100.12 (2010): 2426-2432.
