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Create a Response to the following discussion:
Healthcare Access and Quality
The environment and community that a patient lives in influences their health. Depending on where a patient lives determines what kind of healthcare and education, they have access to, what kind of foods they have easy access to, and the rate of crime and violence they potentially will be exposed to. Being proactive and partnering with communities to increase access to healthcare, education, and healthy foods can assist with improving patient outcomes (Bickley, 2020). The goal of this social health determinant is to improve access and quality of health care services. According to Healthy People 2030, approximately 10% of people living in the United States do not have health insurance. Those without health insurance are less likely to have a primary care provider, have routine check-ups and preventative services (Healthy People 2030, 2021).
To increase the quality of healthcare both the provider and patient need to be involved. The patient needs to understand the importance of preventative care and routine screenings. They also need to be aware of any changes in their health. They need to make and keep appointments with a provider and be proactive when it comes to being and staying healthy. A few obstacles that get in the way of accessing quality healthcare are lack of education, not having transportation to and from appointments and not having the money to pay for appointments. Providers should work to provide increased access to healthcare and availability of services (Okpala, 2020). Providers need to have more education regarding vulnerable populations and communities. The criteria needed to define a population or community as vulnerable are one or more of the following: high unemployment, uninsured citizens, low levels of education and health literacy, crime, and pollution. Providers play a primary role in increasing healthcare access to vulnerable populations and communities. They can collaborate with community agencies to provide healthcare access to vulnerable populations. Providers can work together by taking an interdisciplinary approach to healthcare. This is a holistic, patient-centered approach to help ensure patients’ physical and mental health needs are met (Okpala, 2020).
The NP could gather information during the patient interview to determine how the patient feels about healthcare access and quality. The NP could ask questions such as whether the patient has transportation to get to appointments and if they can afford their medications. The NP could also ask about adequate housing and access to healthy food, as well as education in the community and mental health issues. After gathering this information, the NP can educate the patient on community resources, government programs, pharmacy discount programs and mental health treatments if necessary. Gathering information from the patient and then providing education on how to improve the patient’s quality of life not only builds a trusting relationship between the patient and provider but empowers the patient.
One local resource in Southern Utah is the Doctor’s Volunteer Clinic. This clinic is a nonprofit clinic that provides medical, dental, and mental health services to residents residing in Southern Utah. Local physicians donate time each week to see patients regardless of their ability to pay for services. This clinic was started years ago to meet the needs of the uninsured and low-income residents in the area. They promote healthy lifestyles which in turn improves the community (Doctor’s Volunteer Clinic, n.d.). The second local resource in Southern Utah is Family Healthcare. They have several clinics in the area and provide discounted pricing on mental health services and dental services. They offer same-day appointments, and a discounted pharmacy program. They offer extended hours during the week and are open on Saturdays (Family Healthcare, n.d.).
References
Bhatt, J., & Bathija, P. (2018). Ensuring Access to Quality Health Care in Vulnerable Communities. Academic medicine: Journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, 93(9), 1271–1275. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000002254
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Bickley, L. S. (2020). Bates’ Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking (13th Edition). Wolters Kluwer Health. https://ambassadored.vitalsource.com/books/9781975109943
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Doctor’s Free Clinic. (n.d.). volunteerclinic.org. Retrieved May 4, 2022, from https://volunteerclinic.org
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Family Healthcare. (n.d.). familyhc.org. Retrieved May 4, 2022, from https://familyhc.org
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Healthcare access and Quality. (n.d.). https://health.gov
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. Retrieved May 4, 2022, from https://health.gov
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Okpala, Paulchris. (2020). Increasing access to quality healthcare through collaborative leadership. International Journal of Healthcare Management, 13(3), 229–235. https://doi.org/10.1080/20479700.2017.1401276
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