Access to quality healthcare and improving community well-being

Access to quality healthcare and improving community well-being

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Introduction

            Access to quality health in a community creates many benefits such as longer life span, more developments, excellent growth, and living a stress-free lifestyle. The role of public healthcare providers and partners in health initiative is to take care of the general health status of the community. Mortality rates, life expectancy, years of potential life lost, and the population statistics forms the common health assessment tools used in evaluating the state of health of the community are (Lewenson & Truglio-Londrigan, 2010, pp. 43-47). Delivery of quality health care services and well-being of people acts as a major challenge for many nations across the world, United States being the most affected. Despite the efforts by the health care sector to increase the quality of healthcare and improve patient outcome, most communities have never seen improvement in the health care sector. According to Winkfield (2014), the condition of healthcare facilities plays a significant role in determining the quality of health care services offered. In addition, the performance of the government in collaboration with the department of health plays a major role in influencing the quality of health of the U.S. people. Further, Healthy People 2020 have a list of health issues that affect people in U.S. (Healthy People 2020, 2014).

Key Factors Associated with Health

            The Bradenton community in Florida faces many health care issues accelerated by many factors associated to society, ethics, politics, and economy. Access to quality health care services and patients well-being is the main issue affecting people from this community. The problem affects a large number of people in the community, calling upon health care experts’ intervention improve the health status of Bradenton community. Healthy People 2020 focus on ensuring every person in the United States has access to quality health care services and enjoys a healthy lifestyle by introducing many beneficial innovations to the health care sector (Healthy People 2020, 2014).

The background of Bradenton

Bradenton is a city found in Manatee County, Florida. It stands as the largest city in Florida with an approximate population of 50,000 people according to 2012 statistics. The people of Bradenton demonstrate the modern lifestyle living model because of the presence of a comfortable and civilized environment.

Social factors

The Bradenton community upholds unique social and cultural practices distancing them from other communities in the Florida. The community is governed by a democratic mode of governance where they democratically elect their leaders.  Most people in the area speak English language, although some speak Spanish, and French. The community values education and most of its members have attained higher levels of learning.

Health consideration

The community promotes a healthy lifestyle by pursuing health and life fulfilment activities that promote the quality of life and well-being of every person. Moreover, the community has a number of economic activities that give them revenues and help them acquire their basic and secondary needs. The city has numerous health care centres and hospitals where people receive treatments depending on their location. The high standards of living experienced by the people of Bradenton contribute to the high spread of chronic kidney disease because they lack proper nutrition education programs. The rate of employment is moderate with 30 percent of the adult population working in formal sectors. U.S. financing has a strong relationship with the current economy. The high growth rate of health care spending in U.S. exceeds the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the population, and inflation rates. Lack of adequate financing because of the current economic status affects the provision of healthcare services in major cities like Florida. The health care cost has raised because of the dramatic increase in health care spending bearing in mind only a small amount of GDP share is devoted to health care. Lack of adequate health care facilities and workforce in some communities like the Bradenton community in Florida promotes increase in chronic disease prevalence (Florida Health, 2014HealthH).

Relationship to Florida as a Whole as well as the USA

Florida Department of health puts all the necessary efforts in ensuring every person has access to improved healthcare services. The Healthy People 2020 objective aids in achieving the goal and objectives for the health sector. They involve in communities in healthy practices and push the government into making health available to people in rural areas. Survey from Florida health charts on the quality of health care and well-being reveal the following. Firstly, the sector identified strategic health as the priority area of concern for the 67 county-level community health assessment and health improvement planning processes. Secondly, chronic diseases are very common in the area. The most common health issues affecting people from the community include diabetes, obesity, tobacco use, and overweight. Another issue that emerged as a concern to the Florida Department of health is dental problem. Finally, poor public health infrastructure and policies hinder achievement of quality health care services. The city has been on the move to introduce health policies and laws governing health care providers in the area. Florida Department of health has introduced many solutions to health problems facing communities in the city. One of the most significant solutions is the introduction of local networks that promote easier communication between people in the rural areas and urban areas (Florida Health, 2014).

On the other hand, the issue not only affects Florida community but also the whole of United States. The 2010 National healthcare Quality and Disparities report evaluates the quality of healthcare in United States by the year 2010. The major areas studied are; patient-centeredness, timeliness of services, patient safety, and effectiveness of care. The NIMHD and the Department of Health Human Services (HHS) helped generate the report. The nation plays a significant role in ensuring progress and change in the healthcare industry because they are responsible for providing the needed infrastructure and financial support. The report developed many alternatives to resolving the issue of healthcare disparities in the United States. The most recommended areas that needed more support included patient and family engagement, safety, care coordination, palliative care, and population health (U.S. Department of Health & Human Service, 2011).

Access to Health Care

            Access to quality health care services plays a major role in improving the outcomes of a community. The Bradenton community should live a happy lifestyle free from health problems such as cases of chronic kidney diseases. Community assessment process helps in identifying and determining solutions to problems affecting a population in the community. The health care sector has a duty of ensuring health-related quality of life and well-being of every person in the world regardless of their age, gender, race, ethnicity, financial status, or political affiliates. Government initiatives like the Affordable Care Act aimed at improving quality of health in the community and ensuring people stay a healthy lifestyle. The Affordable Care Act helps in reducing health costs.

The community complains of dissatisfaction with the current health care policies. The cost of health care in U.S. averages 175 percent and most of the population lack health care insurance while other developed countries offer quality healthcare services. The Affordable Care Act helps reduce the rising costs of healthcare; improve the quality of healthcare services and effectiveness, and cover more of its people with insurance would help reduce the number of complaints from citizens (Menzel, 2012). The relationship between the Affordable Care Act and the Brisbane community in Florida continues to grow as more people enrol in Health Insurance Marketplace. The health care act demonstrated justice and fairness for all people representing one nation.

Drivers and roadblocks

The creation of reforms in the health sector requires a combined effort from the various stakeholders. Individuals can aid in promoting health reforms through having group meetings. During such meetings, they can discuss the challenges they face in acquiring health services and how to solve these challenges. They can even make individual contributions to raise funds for purchase of certain medical equipment that are unavailable at the area m.............