Question A:
In your opinion, what are the main workforce challenges that the United States must grapple with? Can you provide some real-life examples?
Question B:
Can you suggest some important elements that must be present in a future model of care delivery in the United States?
ANSWER THE ABOVE DISCUSSION, THEN REPLY TO CLASSMATE DISCUSSION EXPLAINING WHY YOU AGREE.
CLASSMATE’S DISCUSSION
Questions A:
There have always been challenges with the advancement and reformation of any sector, whether it will be health care or education. The healthcare industry is suffering greatly in recent years because of COVID-19 outbreaks, which have posed several obstacles in terms of infrastructure as well as the workforce. When we speak about the primary workforce concerns that the United States must face, I believe that adequate health care staffing, both skilled and general, is at the top of the list. According to Shi (2015), there has always been a shortage of healthcare professionals trained in specific areas which is a critical challenge with serious implications, as the population will keep increasing. The demand for professional staff has taken a huge turn recently due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It cannot be denied that the ability of healthcare institutions to provide high-quality treatment either during COVID-19 or other emergency admission is direct to an adequate and healthy staff. American Hospital Association (2021) briefed that it is hard to maintain qualified staff and the hospital is being forced to spend more expenses on hiring. According to AHA (2021) along with the billions of dollars in damages suffered by hospitals, the COVID-19 epidemic has taken a heavy toll on health care personnel who have been fighting it for over two years. Thus, the lack of nursing staff experts in different categories has not only hampered the care as well as has indirectly increased the cost of care. Skilled adequate
Questions B:
Financing, insurance, delivery (providers), and payments are among the basic yet significant factors which ultimately compose the health care system (Shi, 2015). Each health care system’s functional and organizational goals are determined by these factors. The United States is a leader in healthcare development and innovation; transforming its care delivery model to increase healthcare access and improve health outcomes, it is undergoing changes in the context of ever-increasing chronic disease burdens and healthcare costs (Yu et al.2017). I believe, with adequate financing and professionals on board, Mobile Health Clinics (MHC) will be a very important mode of delivery in the United States. According to Yu and colleagues (2017), MHC can offer tailored, high-impact, and affordable health care that responds dynamically to the community’s evolving needs. Shi (2015) has mentioned a similar concept called Teamlet Model, which consists of a clinician—such as a primary care physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant—and one or two allied health professionals who function as a health coach. To make this a successful endeavor, we need to ensure that we have enough trained and skilled professionals and adequate funding to succeed. To sum up my argument, I believe that a future model of care delivery in the United States will necessitate the proper allocation of budget and the creation of a Mobile team.
References
American Hospital Association (AHA) (2021). Data Brief: Health Care Workforce Challenges Threaten Hospitals’ Ability to Care for Patients. American Hospital Association: Advancing Health in America. Retrieved from https://www.aha.org/system/files/media/file/2021/11/data-brief-health-care-workforce-challenges-threaten-hospitals-ability-to-care-for-patients.pdf
Shi, L. (2015). Essentials of the U.S. Health Care System (4th Edition). Jones & Bartlett Learning.https://ambassadored.vitalsource.com/books/9781284113044
Yu, S. W. Y., Hill, C., Ricks, M. L., Bennet, J., & Oriol, N. E. (2017). The scope and impact of mobile health clinics in the United States: a literature review. International Journal for Equity in Health, 16, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-017-0671-2
