BHIS 520 CSUGC Efforts to Reduce Healthcare Costs Discussion
ANSWER
Challenge Area: Advancing Health Equity
Questions:
- What are the primary determinants of health disparities within specific populations, and how can they be effectively addressed? To advance health equity, it is crucial to identify the root causes of health disparities. This question should explore factors such as socioeconomic status, race, geography, and access to healthcare, among others. Understanding these determinants can guide targeted interventions and policies. (Reference: Braveman, P., & Gottlieb, L. (2014). The social determinants of health: It’s time to consider the causes of the causes. Public health reports, 129(1_suppl2), 19-31.)
- How can we improve access to culturally competent care and healthcare services for underserved populations? Cultural competence plays a significant role in reducing health disparities. This question should delve into strategies to ensure that healthcare providers understand and respect diverse cultural backgrounds, which can lead to more equitable healthcare outcomes. (Reference: Betancourt, J. R., Green, A. R., Carrillo, J. E., & Ananeh-Firempong, O. (2003). Defining cultural competence: A practical framework for addressing racial/ethnic disparities in health and health care. Public health reports, 118(4), 293-302.)
- How can technology and telehealth be leveraged to bridge healthcare access gaps in marginalized communities? Telehealth has shown potential in improving access to healthcare services, especially in remote or underserved areas. Understanding how to effectively implement and expand telehealth services to reach vulnerable populations is essential for advancing health equity. (Reference: Wosik, J., Fudim, M., Cameron, B., Gellad, Z. F., Cho, A., Phinney, D., … & Telehealth Research Group. (2020). Telehealth transformation: COVID-19 and the rise of virtual care. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 27(6), 957-962.)
Methods:
To research these questions, I would use a combination of approaches, including:
- Literature Review: I would conduct a thorough literature review using academic databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and research articles from reputable sources.
- Data Analysis: I would analyze existing health disparities data, census data, and healthcare access statistics to understand the current state of health equity and disparities.
- Surveys and Interviews: Conduct surveys and interviews with healthcare professionals, community leaders, and marginalized populations to gather qualitative insights into cultural competence and telehealth utilization.
Results and Data:
The questions mentioned above are essential for advancing health equity because they address the fundamental issues contributing to disparities in healthcare outcomes. Data to support these questions may include:
- Analysis of health outcomes data among different populations, highlighting disparities in health conditions, life expectancy, and quality of care.
- Demographic data showcasing the cultural diversity within communities and the need for culturally competent care.
- Telehealth utilization statistics, including barriers to access, technology adoption rates, and patient satisfaction levels among underserved populations.
An example data visualization might be a bar chart showing disparities in healthcare outcomes among racial and ethnic groups, highlighting differences in mortality rates for specific diseases.
Interpretation and Conclusions:
Based on the data and analysis, it’s clear that addressing health disparities and advancing health equity is a complex challenge. To ensure universal, affordable, and equitable health coverage, the following policy options can be considered:
- Culturally Competent Care Training: Healthcare providers should undergo cultural competence training to better understand and serve diverse patient populations. This training can be integrated into medical education curricula and ongoing professional development.
- Telehealth Expansion: Invest in infrastructure and policies that promote equitable access to telehealth services, especially in rural and underserved areas. This includes subsidizing internet access and providing technology to disadvantaged individuals.
- Community Health Initiatives: Implement community-based health programs that target social determinants of health, such as education, employment, and housing, to address root causes of health disparities.
- Health Equity Metrics: Develop and monitor health equity metrics to assess progress continually. This will involve tracking disparities, evaluating the impact of interventions, and adjusting policies as needed.
In conclusion, achieving health equity is a multifaceted endeavor that requires a comprehensive understanding of determinants, cultural competence, and technological solutions. Policymakers should focus on these areas to move toward universal, affordable, and equitable health coverage.
QUESTION
Description
Discovery Question – Choose 1 of the 5 challenge areas from the bulleted list below and post your response to the discussion board
This week we reviewed value-based care, the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, efforts to reduce healthcare costs and the difficulty in getting accurate data. Healthcare data analysis does not only use EMR data. To understand healthcare costs and for population health, health data scientists often look at other types of data such as insurance claims, pharmacy data or social determinants of health data. Despite healthcare reforms such as the Affordable Care Act (2010), 21st Century Cures Act (2016) and Healthcare Price Transparency (2021), we still have challenges in many areas of healthcare.
Achieving Universal Coverage
Advancing Health Equity
Access to healthcare
Cost of healthcare
Medicare costs, solvency, growth of Medicare Advantage
Discovery Question: Complete the following 4 steps to develop your DQ response.
Questions: Choose one of the 5 challenge areas listed above and based on the readings and additional research you do, propose 3 important questions that need to be answered to improve in that area. Provide references to support the questions you propose.
Methods: Describe your method for researching these questions and finding data to present. If you used generative AI, provide the prompt you submitted and cite appropriately (prompt and citation do not count toward the 400 word requirement).
Results and Data: Make the case for why your questions are important. Give examples of the type of data that is needed/used to explore these questions. Include some analytic results that present data on these questions that support your reasons for why these questions are important. You may also include a data visualization or chart.
- Interpretation and Conclusions: Provide your interpretation of the analytic results/data you include. Considering your interpretation of the data, what are some policy options you would recommend that could be considered to ensure universal, affordable and equitable health coverage?
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