Healthcare Reform

Table of Contents

Healthcare ReformNameInstitutionInstructorCourseDate Healthcare ReformHealthcare reform is an important topic in America due to its impact on the health of the American citizens. Healthcare policymakers have developed different interventions and changes in the healthcare system to address some of the gaps experinced in the provision of healthgcare services to all populations (Obama, 2016). One of these reforms is a shift from a disease-oriented healthcare system to a system of wellness and prevention. This is meant to improve the health status of American citizens as well as enhance the achievement of the healthcare goal of ensuring a healthy nation. The traditional healthcare system focused on developing solutions to treat diseases with incurable diseases negatively affecting the achievement of this goal (Obama, 2016). This used more resources in treating and managing chronic illnesses affecting a sufficient resource allocation to different regions across the United States. However, the current healthcare system focuses on developing preventive interventions to address diseases before they develop as well as enhance the management of diseases (Capretta, 2016). Prevention minimizes the costs attributed to provision of care since individuals are in control of their health reducing the rate of admissions since individuals can prevent the development of certain diseases through effective preventive strategies. This reduces the demand for healthcare services that has affected the achievement of healthcare goals due to the current nursing shortage experienced in the United States (Capretta, 2016). One of the ways of continuing this trend is through health education where the healthcare sector educates the public on the importance of preventive healthcare to individual’s health. Health education can focus on the vulnerable populations and individuals at an increased risk of developing certain diseases (Grand Canyon University, 2018). This will ensure that the public has knowledge on preventive healthcare to their health since some may lack this important information especially minority groups who have a limited access to healthcare services. Nurses have an important role in supporting and facilitating this shift by collaborating with the public in health education to ensure that the public is aware and implements preventive interventions to improve their health (Grand Canyon University, 2018). Since nurses compose the largest population of the healthcare staff, they can effectively provide heath education during their interactions with patients. ReferencesCapretta J. C. (2016). Healthcare reform. The Linacre quarterly, 83(4), 375–381. doi:10.1080/00243639.2016.1247620Grand Canyon University. (2018). Dynamics in nursing: Art and science of professional practice. Grand Canyon University.Obama B. (2016). United States Health Care Reform: Progress to Date and Next Steps. JAMA, 316(5), 525–532. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.9797