HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY COMMITTEE REPORT

Health Psychology: Committee Report

Health Psychology: Committee Report

Introduction

Access to affordable healthcare has been a topic for decades in this country. It has caused many to lose their lives due to the lack of affordable or absence of adequate healthcare. The growing concern, in part, is because of the limited access to the underserved. According to the World Health Organization approximately 1.2 billion people in the world live in extreme poverty (less than one dollar per day). Poverty creates ill-health because it forces people to live in environments that make them sick, without adequate shelter, hygienic water or adequate sanitation. To be poor in America means to be at significant risk of poor health. Adequate care increases quality and years of healthy life and eliminates health disparities (Beirness, 1993).

The impact of economic recessions on health care and how our health policies are indivisibly linked with legislative agendas, economic priorities, and social and cultural values are a few reasons why the gap between wealth and poverty exist. This nation of unequal distribution of resources at all level is one of the main reasons for high costs of goods and resources. In this paper, as a volunteer worker I will provide a plan that will emphasize on providing better overall patient health, measurable by shorter hospitalizations and improved adherence to medical regimens.

Discussion

The health care system has elicited much debate in recent times, particularly in the United States. Specifically, efforts to increase coverage have not addressed the inadequate reimbursement rates for physicians, which have sparked many contemptuous debates. The most controversial aspect of the health care bill seems to be the unprecedented mandate for all Americans to purchase health insurance. Within this mandate lies the “minimum essential coverage”, this coverage is either purchased by the government, employer or the individual (Pierce & Gilpin, 1995).

The health care is defined as a government system that provides for the basic health care needs of a population in a given political entity. In such a system, the primary care physician acts as a “gatekeeper” responsible for making decisions regarding primary care and referrals. In addition, all population should have guaranteed access to hospitalization and prescription medicine (Sarafino, 2006).

The reforms of health care affect the well-being of everyone regardless of whether they have adequate health coverage or not. The reform is intended primarily for better coordination and controllability of the system of health care. The measures listed below have a double objective: improve the quality of the health system and preserve certain existing strengths of the system of health care, in particular the appearance of solidarity; contribute to the spending growth. The reform to improve coordination between the institutions that manage patient information would improve the quality of care, including through information sharing and electronic prescribing, or direct access to the prescriber, provider or pharmacist to certain data file shared care with patient's agreement (Ferguson & Meehan, 2011).

Unlike U.S., patients, who increasingly find their choice of doctor and hospital limited through the technique of managed competition, other ...