Using current research and scholarly information (within the last five years), identify and analyze at least two key areas of disparity in healthcare. What economic policies do you think economic policies have impacted these disparities? What recommendation related to each disparity would you make for an organization to plan for this to minimize the negative impact while still delivering quality care?
Textbook: Health Economics and Policy, Chapter 14
Textbook link: https://bncvirtual.com/vb_econtent.php?ACTION=econtent&FVENCKEY=AD9EE8D798DCAFC7E76B5FB7C978DD86&j=43766531&sfmc_sub=1597096465&l=23329524_HTML&u=695880241&mid=524003857&jb=40753&utm_term=10242022&utm_source=transactional&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Direct_Ebooks
Website: https://www.ahrq.gov/research/findings/nhqrdr/index.html
Article: https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/issue-brief/disparities-in-health-and-health-care-5-key-question-and-answers/
Video: https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/mcat/social-inequality/social-class/v/health-and-healthcare-disparities-in-the-us
Full Answer Section
Here are some economic policies that have impacted these disparities:
- The Affordable Care Act (ACA): The ACA has expanded health insurance coverage to millions of Americans, including many people of color and low-income individuals. However, the ACA has not been able to close the gap in access to care completely.
- Medicaid: Medicaid is a government-funded health insurance program for low-income individuals and families. Medicaid has been shown to improve access to care and health outcomes for people of color and low-income individuals.
- Medicare: Medicare is a government-funded health insurance program for people over the age of 65. Medicare has helped to improve access to care for older adults, but there are still disparities in quality of care.
Here are some recommendations for an organization to plan for these disparities to minimize the negative impact while still delivering quality care:
- Address the social determinants of health: The social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, live, work, and age. These conditions can have a significant impact on health, and they are often more important than access to healthcare in determining health outcomes. Organizations can address the social determinants of health by working to improve housing, education, employment, and transportation in underserved communities.
- Provide culturally competent care: Cultural competence is the ability to understand and appreciate the cultural beliefs and practices of others. This is important in healthcare, as it can help to ensure that patients receive care that is appropriate for their cultural background. Organizations can provide culturally competent care by hiring and training staff from diverse backgrounds, and by providing cultural sensitivity training for all staff.
- Measure and track disparities: Organizations should measure and track disparities in access to care and quality of care. This will help them to identify areas where they need to improve, and to track their progress over time.
- Partner with community organizations: Organizations can partner with community organizations to address the root causes of health disparities. This can include working to improve access to healthy food, safe housing, and other resources.
By taking these steps, organizations can help to minimize the negative impact of health disparities while still delivering quality care.
In addition to these recommendations, organizations can also:
- Educate their staff about implicit bias: Implicit bias is the unconscious tendency to favor one group of people over another. By educating their staff about implicit bias, organizations can help to reduce the likelihood that patients will be discriminated against.
- Create a culture of respect and inclusion: Organizations can create a culture of respect and inclusion by hiring and promoting staff from diverse backgrounds, and by providing training on diversity and inclusion.
- Be proactive in addressing disparities: Organizations should not wait for patients to complain about disparities before taking action. They should be proactive in addressing disparities by tracking data, identifying areas where improvement is needed, and implementing interventions to address those needs.
By taking these steps, organizations can help to create a more equitable healthcare system that provides high-quality care to all patients, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or income.