Health policy: what is it and why is it important? | St. Augustine University for Health Sciences (2023)

Public health policy is an integral aspect of the US health care system, one that helps shape and protect the health and well-being of our people. The directive affects such fundamental issues as access to health care, costs, delivery methods and privacy. It covers the rules and regulations established by the legislature at the local, state and national level.

As a current or future nurse, you need to understand what public health policy is, how it works, and why it is important so that you can use your experience to design new policies. Or if she's a care manager, her understanding and involvement in healthcare policy will help you streamline current policies and help teams follow them. In this post, we outline what you need to know about public health policy, including what you can do.advance your careeras a health advocate and politician.

What is health policy?

Health policy refers to the decisions, objectives and actions that determine how care is administered and consumed. ((Balotpedia, “Health Policy in the United States”:https://ballotpedia.org/Healthcare_policy_in_the_United_States)) For example, policies may include state legal and safety regulations, or protocols for providing care and medication to patients at a particular hospital. “Health Policy” also refers to the policies established at the national level regarding access to health care, coverage and costs.

Health policy subcategories include public health, global health, health services, health insurance, mental health, and pharmaceuticals.

Why is health policy important?

Health policy is important because it helps create policies that benefit patients, health care organizations, and our health care system. Having records in place can help avoid human error and miscommunication when making medical decisions.

For nurses and healthcare administrators, understanding and following the guidelines can help ensure you provide the best care for patients while using your knowledge to inform future guidelines. On a broader level, patients learn more about their rights when they take the time to understand health care policies.

Examples of health policies

To maintain quality care for patients, organizations must establish policies that address the following aspects of their operations. ((PowerDMS, “Examples of Health Policies”, December 22, 2020:https://www.powerdms.com/policy-learning-center/examples-of-healthcare-policies))

Patient Care Guidelines

Patient care guidelines include protocols and workflows for treatment procedures and describe how healthcare professionals should respond to specific medical situations. Of course, the guidelines must be adapted to the care of your center. For example, a cancer center would create different patient care policies than a center forrehabilitation medicinebecause their treatment protocols are very different.

Employee Health Guidelines

Staff health is a critical component to running an effective facility, as staff must be able to safely care for patients while maintaining their own well-being.

Examples of policies designed to protect and promote the health of employees include regulations on the use of alcohol and tobacco in the workplace, the use of masks and gloves to minimize the risk of exposure to disease and chemicals, and wellness policies. such as free time and healthy eating. .

drug policy

Medication policies describe the procedures related to the handling and administration of medications, whether they are over-the-counter, controlled, or non-controlled. This may include protocols for recording, handling, and dispensing each medication. ((Kimberly New, "Regulatory Requirements and Best Practices for Drug Diversion," Patient Safety and Quality Health Care, November 18, 2020:psqh.com/analysis/drug-diversion-regulatory-requirements-and-best-practices/))Drug policies also govern what to do when inventory is lacking, drugs are incorrectly administered or prescribed, or other drug-related errors occur.

Security and privacy policy

Security policies clearly state how employees should deal with situations that pose a threat to the security of your facility. This may include situations such as abuse of medical personnel, kidnapping or escape of patients, robbery, and active shooters. ((Lowers & Associates, "5 Current Threats to Hospital Safety," The Risk Management Blog, March 28, 2018:https://blog.lowersrisk.com/amenazas-hospital-seguridad/))If a facility has security processes in place, these should be clearly defined so that all employees are aware of and can follow them.

In addition to physical security, privacy and technology security policies and procedures are extremely important in any healthcare facility. The HIPAA Privacy Rule protects patient information from being released to the public and allows sharing of that information between healthcare professionals as needed and in certain other situations. Failure to comply with HIPAA can result in fines of $50,000 or more per violation. ((Alex M. Azar II, "Civil Monetary Penalty Annual Inflation Adjustment," U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Jan. 17, 2020:https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-01-17/pdf/2020-00738.pdf))

As this technology becomes an integral part of healthcare facility operations, the greater the likelihood of data breaches and privacy breaches. There were 600 healthcare breaches in 2020, a 55% increase over 2019. The average cost per breached record is now nearly $500. ((Bitglass, "Healthcare Breach Report 2021: Rise in IT Incidents and Hacking," Feb. 17, 2021:https://pages.bitglass.com/rs/418-ZAL-815/images/CDFY21Q1HealthcareBreachReport2021.pdf))For this reason, it is important that institutions establish clear data handling policies and procedures to avoid errors that could lead to data breaches.

health policy issues

For many families, health care takes up a large part of their budget. There is an ongoing debate about who has access to health insurance and why the cost of care in the United States is so high, with some lawmakers trying to find solutions to increase access to quality, affordable care for all. Here's a look at some key public health issues affecting Americans today.

health insurance

In 2019, 92% of Americans had some form of health insurance, either employer-provided coverage, Medicare or Medicaid, or private health insurance. ((Katherine Keisler-Starkey and Lisa N. Bunch, "Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2019," US Census Bureau, September 15, 2020:https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2020/demo/p60-271.html))Increasing the number of insured people is the focus of many political decision makers. The Affordable Care Act, introduced in 2010, played a significant role in increasing the number of covered Americans. ((Division of Digital Communications, "What is the Affordable Care Act?"), US Department of Health and Human Services, last revised August 4, 2017:https://www.hhs.gov/answers/affordable-care-act/what-is-the-affordable-care-act/index.html))

Although the proportion of people without insurance has decreased, policy makers have different views on the issue. Some legislators are pushing for greater participation in employer-provided coverage, while others are advocating Medicare for All.

health costs

Even with health insurance, many people still face overwhelmingly high health care deductible costs. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become even more important for lawmakers to find an affordable solution for Americans. ((HealthPay24, "8 Policy and Political Issues That Will Affect Healthcare in 2021 and Beyond," Oct. 28, 2020:https://www.healthpay24.com/blog/policy-policy-issues-impacting-healthcare-2021))

To counter these high costs, policy makers have been thinking about how to lower prices without compromising the quality of services and care provided. Some solutions include a significant reduction in the price of prescription drugs or allowing policies to regulate the prices of health care. The introduction of public and state insurance options that pay lower rates than private providers is another option that comes up regularly. The public option would make health insurance more affordable for those who cannot afford the premiums of private health insurers. And competition from the public option could put pressure on private insurers to cut costs. ((Matthew Fiedler and Christen Linke Young, "Current Debates in Health Care Policy: A Brief Overview," Brookings, October 15, 2019:https://www.brookings.edu/policy2020/votervital/current-debates-in-health-care-policy-a-brief-overview/))

social barriers

Addressing issues related to the socioeconomic conditions of American communities can help improve the overall health of people in these populations. ((AHIP (America's Health Insurance Plans), "4 Issues Shaping Healthcare Policy," April 8, 2021:https://www.ahip.org/4-issues-shaping-health-care-policy/))Some public health clinics and nonprofit organizations are working to offer people wellness counseling and other services beyond medical necessity. This includes access to healthy food, affordable housing, transportation, child care, education, and more. A healthy population leads to better outcomes and more affordable care for all.((Kate Berry, "How Health Insurance Companies Address Social Barriers to Health" Das American Journal of Accountable Care, Dez. 2019:https://www.ajmc.com/view/how-health-insurance-providers-are-tackling-social-barriers-to-health))

Pursue a career in health policy.

If you're interested in helping shape the future of our healthcare system, here are some careers you can pursue.

The role of health policy analysts

Health policy analysts play a very important role in the effective transformation of our health systems. You are responsible for evaluating current policies and proposing improvements that may affect patient care. These analysts use critical thinking to compile and evaluate relevant data and research, suggest changes to current policies, and create new policy proposals.((Chegg Career Match, „Health Policy Analyst“:https://www.careermatch.com/job-prep/career-insights/profiles/health-policy-analyst/)) His daily duties include meeting with legislators, raising public awareness about health policies, and reporting and presenting his findings.

Most health policy analysts start with a bachelor's degree in public health, public policy, political science, government, or a related field. From there you can go to aMaster of Health Administration(MHA) from a school like the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS). Our MHA program will equip you with the skills you need to oversee key areas of healthcare organizations such as healthcare informatics, finance, human resources, and operations.

The role of the nurse

nurse practitioner(NPs) can also play an important role in health policy. Because they work directly with patients, nurses offer an insider's perspective that complements the expertise of government officials and policy makers. NPs and other caregivers can help identify problems within the current healthcare system, find solutions, and propose new policies that can positively impact the well-being and safety of their patients.

at USAHSDoctoral Program in Nursing(DNP) deepen their knowledge in the areas of health policy,guideand advocacy. You can also buy a role specialty likefamily caregiver.

The future of health policy

Health policy is important at the macro and micro levels. It affects our entire society and every community and facility where care is provided. If you want to make a difference in healthcare and advocate for change, visit usUSAHS Gradesto find a career that suits you.

Die University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) bietet anMaster of Science in Pflege(MSN),Doctor of Nursing Practice(DNP) andGraduate Certificates in Nursingdesigned for working nurses. Our degrees are offered online, with optional on-campus immersions* (continuing Spring 2022). Role specialties include Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP),Nursing Instructor,** yexecutive nurse. MSN offers several options to shorten the time until graduation. Earn your advanced nursing degree while balancing your work and life.

USAHS offers aMaster of Health Administration (MHA)Program for working healthcare professionals who want to improve the financial systems, information technology, operations, policies and other key functions of healthcare organizations. The program is delivered online, with optional immersion weekends on campus (slated to resume in 2022) and an optional internship. Whether you choose the traditional or accelerated path, you'll gain hands-on experience and expand your professional network. During your Capstone project, you will work with an industry mentor.

The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) offers aEdD programfocuses on health education. Designed for working physicians and health care educators, the program includes two required residencies and optional campus immersions.(will continue in spring 2022). Specializations include nursing education, physical education training, teaching and learning (with teaching practicums), and executive leadership. Design a custom curriculum that takes advantage of our acceleration options and a wide range of electives, and prepare to educate the next generation of healthcare professionals.

*The FNP track includes two mandatory intensive hands-on clinical courses as part of the curriculum.

**The Nurse Educator specialty is not available for the DNP program.