According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2011 there were nearly 140 million emergency department visits within the United States, and 34 million of those visits were considered non-emergency. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , 2011). The article focused on the case study The Brooklyn Health Care Improvement program, the focus was to determine whether the use of the Emergency Department was being used based on preference, the lack of knowledge, or lack of access to a primary care provider (PCP). Within the Northern and Central area, there were 11,546 patients surveyed over the course of four weeks.
Do Americans base their health on finances or the capability to get their issue resolved quickly? A 30 year old has had unusual pain and hemorrhage while having a bowel movement for the last two weeks. With insurance that is offered from their current job, it is required as a single individual to pay $2,500 out of pocket before 80% of the bill is covered. In similar situations, an appointment with the primary care provider (PCP) is reserved, however, it is possible to wait an average of 1 -2 weeks.
On the day of the appointment the physician speaks to the individual asks a few questions and then refers the
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Providing care only to patients with emergencies was listed within this article, requiring that all patients have a medical screening exam by their primary care physician unless otherwise noted (broken bones, internal bleeding, etc.). An alternative listed solution is to call the nurse first. For example, if an individual is constantly having a migraine, contacting the nurse on duty or even the nurse at their PCP can help not only cut down on cost but it allows the patient to feel more secure that the PCP cares about their well-being and not just the money behind
Nurses and physicians need to become partners in health care reform. We have a responsibility to provide competent care to our patients. National standards need to be put in place to decrease the inconsistencies in APN practice. Overwhelming data supports the APN over the physician in cost effectiveness, quality and access to care and many other aspects.
The health care organization with which I am familiar and involved is Kaiser Permanente where I work as an Emergency Room Registered Nurse and later promoted to management. Kaiser Permanente was founded in 1945, is the nation’s largest not-for-profit health plan, serving 9.1 million members, with headquarters in Oakland, California. At Kaiser Permanente, physicians are responsible for medical decisions, continuously developing and refining medical practices to ensure that care is delivered in the most effective manner possible. Kaiser Permanente combines a nonprofit insurance plan with its own hospitals and clinics, is the kind of holistic health system that President Obama’s health care law encourages. It still operates in a half-dozen states from Maryland to Hawaii and is looking to expand...
I believe that people everywhere should always have access to adequate medical care. Where you live should not determine whether you live, and the PA profession was created to improve the availability of healthcare in rural and other underserved areas. As a PA, I would be eager to help people have not had access to the care they needed. I want to serve those that need medical attention but don’t have the means to obtain it—whether in rural Michigan, the inner-city of Atlanta, or the backwoods of Arkansas. Making great medical care accessible to all is crucial to improving public health, and it is a necessity across this country and the world. As a physician assistant,
Pham, J. C., Seth, T. N., Hilton, J., Khare, R. K., Smith, J. P., & Bernstein, S. L. (2011). Interventions to improve patient-centered care during times of emergency department crowding. Academic Emergency Medicine, 18(12), 1289-1294. doi:10.1111/j.1553-2712.2011.01224.x.
Financial implications: Lower overall costs have been associated with NP (nurse practitioner) care. Studies show that the average cost of a nurse practitioner visit is approximately 25-30 percent lower compared to that of a physician visit. For exam...
It is no secret that the current healthcare reform is a contentious matter that promises to transform the way Americans view an already complex healthcare system. The newly insured population is expected to increase by an estimated 32 million while facing an expected shortage of up to 44,000 primary care physicians within the next 12 years (Doherty, 2010). Amidst these already overwhelming challenges, healthcare systems are becoming increasingly scrutinized to identify ways to improve cost containment and patient access (Curits & Netten, 2007). “Growing awareness of the importance of health promotion and disease prevention, the increased complexity of community-based care, and the need to use scarce human healthcare resources, especially family physicians, far more efficiently and effectively, have resulted in increased emphasis on primary healthcare renewal.” (Bailey, Jones & Way, 2006, p. 381).
Nurse practitioners do more than you’d actually think. They diagnose and treat acute, episodic, or chronic illness, independently or as part of a health care team. They may focus on health promotion and disease prevention. May order, perform, or interpret diagnostics tests such as lab work and x-rays and provide services such as health and wellness counseling, screening and referrals, and physical exams. They also may prescribe medication dosages, routes, and frequencies based on patient characteristics such as age and gender. They analyze and interpret patients, histories, symptoms, physical findings, or diagnostics information to develop appropriate diagnoses. As well as provide primary and some acute care and are qualified to meet the majority of patient’s health care needs.
The contentious debate about our healthcare system is an epitome of the ongoing political circus in America. With the 2012 elections looming just around the corner, we can expect the vitriol to rise rapidly. Our country spends twice as much on health care per capita compared to other developed countries. The current system is so dysfunctional and projected spending will increase every year, putting an unbelievable strain to our fragile economy. Majority of health care dollars spending are channeled on to patients with chronic illnesses, many of which can be prevented. Unfortunately, medical doctors practicing preventive care are being squeezed out of the equation. The shortage of primary care doctors in America is inevitable because of limited income, lesser prestige, and fewer opportunities.
Patient safety should be the highest priority when it comes to health care, so why wouldn't the administrators reduce the ratio of nurse to patients to provide maximum patient care? Nurses that have a higher workload of patients are probably more prone to commit a medication error because they may not have the time to do the five checks of medication administration: the right drug, the right dose, the right route, the right time, and the right patient.
Emergency care has always been an important part of history all over the world. It has been said that medical assistance has been around and prevalent since as far back as 1500 B.C. Around the 1700’s is when EMS systems first began to experience large advancements, and ever since then, the field continues to grow and improve every year.
example, patients who are going in for major abdominal surgery, or even normal childbirth. Nurses
There are many factors that are affecting people from receiving adequate healthcare. Most people still will not seek healthcare even when there is a need. Many issues and barriers have been formed with people because of some issues that are just not being handled by federal or local governments. However in most cases some of the issues lay with the individual who is need the healthcare. A lot of people are suffering financially, so people who have health issues are waiting till their illness is untreatable. Event the insurance companies need copays for the medicines that are being administered to patients, and people in need of care.
...Qualified health care personnel are required to maintain safe health care surrounding. Most im-portant part of the problem is to find the problem, and then only we can fix it.
The first part of the history-taking process is creating an appropriate environment. Ideally, the interview takes place in an area that is safe, accessible, and free from distractions and interruptions. During this initial process, the interviewer introduces themselves and states their purpose and obtains consent to proceed with the health history interview. Additionally, the initial part of the interview is the time to establish the patient’s identity, age, and preferred way of being addressed. A relationship built on trust and respect for the patient’s privacy is necessary to developing a good rapport. It is important to remain unbiased and professional and furthermore, to treat the client with dignity. After introductions are made, the patient should be given time to tell their story in their own words. Active listening is a must during this interaction and involves both verba...
[1] Selected patient and provider characteristics for ambulatory care visits to physician offices and hospital outpatient and emergency departments: United States, 2009-2010