Further still, PHC incorporates the provision of education that enables General Practitioners (GPs) to learn and become acquainted with the prevailing health problems and stipulates the mechanisms of addressing them. Where the service providers receive education that is effective and relevant, then their ability to provide quality healthcare services is enhanced thus strengthening the healthcare system in the country.
Health systems strengthening encompass enhancing access to health services. Enhanced access helps to tackle the issue of inequalities in the Australian context. As per the principles of PHC approach, PHC can increase access to health services as one cornerstone of health systems strengthening through its promotion of global healthcare coverage, multi-sector collaboration and community participation, WHO (2010).
A number of key elements of PHC as outlined by the Declaration of Alma-Ata (1978) include the promotion of the country’s food security and enhanced nutrition for the population. There is also the need to improve access to adequate and safe supply of clean water and maintenance of high sanitation standards, as well as ensuring the enhancement of mother and child healthcare through family planning as well as immunization against identified infectious diseases. It also spells out the need for the prevention and control of chronic diseases and availing essential drugs to all those affected. Where these key approaches of PHC are adequately implemented and sustained, they promise to conduce the strengthening of Australia’s health system.
The concepts and approaches of PHC in form of values and principles of primary health care include equity and universal access to services, multi-sectorial action, as well as commu...
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Starfield, B, Cassady, C, Nanda, J, Forrest, C, & Berk, R. (1998). Consumer experiences and provider perceptions of the quality of primary care: implications for managed care. The Journal of Family Practice, 46(3), 216-226.
Despite the established health care facilities in the United States, most citizens do not have access to proper medical care. We must appreciate from the very onset that a healthy and strong nation must have a proper health care system. Such a health system should be available and affordable to all. The cost of health services is high. In fact, the ...
The demand of a constantly developing health service has required each professional to become highly specialised within their own field. Despite the focus for all professionals being on the delivery high quality care (Darzi, 2008); no one profession is able to deliver a complete, tailored package. This illustrates the importance of using inter-professional collaboration in delivering health care. Patient centric care is further highlighted in policies, emphasising the concept that treating the illness alone whilst ignoring sociological and psychological requirements on an individual is no longer acceptable. Kenny (2002) states that at the core of healthcare is an agreement amongst all the health professionals enabling them to evolve as the patient health requirements become more challenging but there are hurdles for these coalitions to be effective: for example the variation in culture of health divisions and hierarchy of roles. Here Hall (2005) illustrates this point by stating that physicians ignore the mundane problems of patients, and if they feel undervalued they do not fully participate with a multidisciplinary team.
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).
Stephen Jonas, Raymond G, Karen G, “An Introduction to the US healthcare System” 6th Edition, Page 118, 25 May 2007
In the contrary, governments have the responsibility of ensuring all the citizens access quality health care, more so in public health facilities (Duckett, 2008). Despite the various forms taken by health care systems in the world, they seem to have common goals. These goals include the good health of their populations, equity and equality in health care funding among others. To achieve these goals, the functions to be executed include the generation of more resources, delivery of health services, and good leadership/management. This paper explores the Australian health care system, particularly its challenges, strengths, weaknesses, and the proposed reforms.
In today's health care environment many factors contribute to quality care. As a medical practice manager it is important to provide the best medical service for patients in addition to excellent levels of service. Appointment scheduling is a very important aspect of a smooth running medical practice. Appointment cancellation, no shows, and long waiting time by patients have a negative impact on the efficient running of the practice not only in lost revenue but the practices professional reputation as well (Kruse 2010).
National health systems are assessed by the extent to which expenditure and actions in public health and medical care contributes to the crucial social goals of improving health, increasing access to quality healthcare, reducing health disparities, protecting citizens from penury due to medical e...
The purpose of this essay is to evaluate the changing role of public health. Wanless (2004) defines public health as ‘prolonging life and promoting health through the organised efforts and informed choices of society, organisations, communities and individuals’. The focus of health promotion is to reduced health inequalities with the main concept being protecting the public from transmissible diseases, improving services and to help the health of the population. Scriven, A (2010) suggests that it is vital to measure health when promoting health to identify priorities, assist with planning, identify resources needed and to assist the development of the health professional.
...tiatives that link health care structures with the wider set of public sectors reforms and by doing so must approach the underlying determinants of health inequalities.
...on, race, and political belief, economic or social condition. Improving the poor health of disadvantaged individuals and reducing health gaps is important but not enough to level up health through socioeconomic groups. The objective of tackling health inequalities can be changed to local needs and priorities of a community allowing wide-ranging partnerships of support to be organised. However it needs to be made clear that what can be done to help improve the life chances and health prospects of individuals living in poverty may not come close to bringing their health prospects closer to the average of the rest of the population or prevent the gap living on throughout the generations. Being clear about what is trying to be overcome and achieved needs upmost importance in the development and delivery of policies that will promote health equality across the population.
Primary health care is the indispensable care based on the real – world, systematically sound, socially adequate technique and technology which made unanimously available to the families and every individuals in the community through their fully involvement where the community is capable to afford at a cost to uphold at every phase of their growth in the essence of self-reliance and self-government. Primary health care in international health is associated with the global conference held at Alma Ata in 1978; the conference that promoted the initiative health for all by the year 2000. “Primary health care defined broadly at Alma Ata emphasized universal health care across to all individuals and families , encouraged participation by community members in all aspects of health care planning and implementation and promoted the delivery of care that would be scientifically sound , technically effective , socially relevant and acceptable” (Janice E.Hitchcock,2003). Primary health care is commonly viewed as a level of care or as the entry point to the health care system for its client. It can also taken to mean a particular approach to care which is concerned with containing care, accessibility, community involvement and collaboration between other sectors. The primary health care policy has some principals that have been designed to work together and be implemented simultaneously to bring about a better health outcome for the entire society.
As a future health professional it is vital to be aware of where one will fit into the multi-professional team within the health care system, what one has to offer as a health professional within the comprehensive care model of Primary Health Care and be reflective of the journey to your future career. Therefore, in the following essay, I will be focussing on a brief definition of comprehensive care and the role a physiotherapist plays in the model. I will also express the reflective thoughts and feelings of a practicing physiotherapist regarding these points as well as my personal reflections and experiences as a developing health professional.
...tly should attend to the most urgent and highest needful problems to reduce the risk of developing those issues. Health priorities include reduction of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), decrease the road traffic accidents rate, reduce the infectious disease and vaccine preventable diseases, prevent transmit of HIV infections and reduce the poverty by minimizing gap between rich and poor. In addition, this health problems should be addressed in accordance to WHO guidelines, Millenniums development goals and according to other international health reporting standards. Moreover understanding the burden of disease is important where it helps to measure weightage of disease in a specific nation with that of the global situation. So supportively this will help to prioritize the urgent health problems in the country which will support the prevention of those health issues.
- Organisation and Management of Health Care, April 2002, Version 2.0 , Main Contributor: Katie Enock, Public Health Specialist, Harrow Primary Care Trust www.healthknowledge.org.uk