Health care reforms aim to address the inadequacies and inequities in the current health care systems and to organize a more effective and efficient way of improving the access and delivery of health care services to the public. The debate on the issues involving the health care reforms have been going on for decades. There were many issues raised and the current health care system has several implications to public health that raise more questions and debatable concerns in terms of prioritizing the health care programs that the public needs the most. There are different elements that can affect the quality health care services in the United States and there are five of them that are considered to be the most important areas that need the most improvements in the health care reform programs.
The first element in health care reforms that need substantial attention and is considered to have a valuable impact in the current health care system in the United States is health insurance. The major objective of the health care reform in health insurance is to substantially reduce the number of uninsured Americans. This area of health care reform has significant impact in terms of the costs in the health care system. The majority of the expenses for health care reforms emanate from the expanding Medicaid. In the event of expanding the health insurance coverage to the American people, it is accompanied by increasing costs (Tate, 2012). One of the classic example of this implication on the budgetary allocation of the government for health care insurance is the Obama Care program. The ballooning costs for medical insurance were not sustainable in the long term of the program implementation. Many critics pointed out the flaws in the expansion of health care insurance under the program. The resulting increase in the insurance costs brought about by the program can have adverse effects in the quality of health care services since there will be a budgetary cutdown on some areas, such as paying health professionals lower than the actual cost for their services which drive them out from the practice of their profession, thus depriving many Americans access to qualified health professionals (Lott, 2013). What the health care reforms need to make the program more sustainable is a balance between the increasing costs of insurance premiums and the accessibility of affordable health care services.
The second element in the health care system that needs reform the most is the need for the implementation of standardized electronic patient records. The use of electronic health record (EHR) system provides several substantial benefits that translate to reducing health care costs and improved patient care (Bowman, 2013). However, health care reform in this area should focus on strengthening the system design of the EHR because it can become susceptible to errors that can compromise patient safety. The EHR system can significantly improve the health care system in the United States considering the growing numbers of complicated patient condition and the efficient exchange of accurate information is necessary in optimizing the quality of patient care delivered by health practitioners.
The third element in the health care system that pose to be significant in the health care reform initiatives is the delivery of primary care with accessible place for health care service with competent health care professionals available. The current health care system in the United States have some intrinsic limitations and does not accurately reflect its capacity to provide comprehensive coverage of the primary care system for new patients. While the primary care practitioners accept new patients it does not cover all new patients due to the lack of insurance coverage. Thus, there is a need for health care reforms in the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to allow coverage expansions for new patients and give them access to primary health care facilities and services (Rhodes, 2014). The main objective for this area in the health care reform is to provide accessible, affordable and quality primary care services to the public.
The fourth area in the health care system that needs attention in the health care reform pertains to the comparatibility of data to determine the best patient outcomes under a given condition. This may have something to the with strengthening the conceptual framework in improving the health care system performance. The health care systems across United States often differ in their structural organization (Arah, et al 2003). The unification of a systematic exchange of patient data across hospitals and different health care facilities across states will expedite the process of patient information to produce efficient and better performance in the delivery of patient care. The process will help practitioners share data that will help them determine the best approach in patient treatment with specific conditions that produce the best outcomes. Among the important aspects of this health care reform should involve the confidentiality of patient records and the integration of an information technology that will allow health practitioners gather aggregate data and research findings to help them acquire evidence based patient outcomes that will help achieve efficiency, quality and effectiveness in the delivery of health care services.
The fifth area in the health care system that should be improved in the health care reform systems is the collaboration of health care services among health care agencies and providers. This involves an integrated system that aims to provide interdisciplinary health care that promotes efficient communication system among the health care professionals. The United States has a large health care system that involves numerous interfaces and several health care professionals that will interact with patients. The integration of collaborative efforts among the various health care professionals and facilities is critical in the efficient communication of patient information, safety and risks. One of the critical areas in the health care system is medical errors, which is included on the top 10 causes of death in the United States (O'Daniel and Rosenstein, 2008). This can be avoided by strengthening the integrated framework of collaboration in the health care system. This is significant in the health care reform because it can prevent unnecessary risks and injuries to patient while reinforcing the collaborative efforts among the clinical practitioners in providing quality patient care and efficient delivery of health care services.
References:
Arah, O.A. et al. (2003). Conceptual frameworks for health systems performance: a quest for effectiveness, quality, and improvement. International Journal for Quality in Health Care. 377-398.
Bowman, S. (2013). Impact of Electronic Health Record Systems on Information Integrity: Quality and Safety Implications. Perspectives in Health Information Management, 10(Fall), 1c.
Lott, J.R. (2013). At the brink: Will Obama Push Us Over the Edge? New York: Regnery Publishing.
O'Daniel, M. and Rosenstein, A.H. (2008). Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Rhodes, K.V. (2014). Primary care access for new patients on the eve of health care reform. JAMA Intern Med. 174(6):861-9.
Tate, N. (2012). ObamaCare Survival Guide: The Affordable Care Act and What It Means for You. Florida: Humanix Book.
