The healthcare environment Flashcards
What can patients become overwhelmed with in health care?
Various types of offices, specialties, and choices
This complexity can lead to confusion and stress for patients.
What is a key responsibility of health care professionals when interacting with patients?
Helping them navigate through the maze of labs, outpatient care, and hospital departments
This includes explaining plan requirements clearly.
How can health care professionals create a positive experience for patients?
By explaining their plan requirements with cheerfulness and patience
A supportive interaction can enhance patient comfort.
What role did office secretaries play in medical practice until the early 1900s?
Handled administrative duties
Physicians often managed their own administrative tasks.
What significant change occurred during World War II regarding medical secretaries?
Physicians began to train their secretaries to perform functions previously done by nurses or physicians
This led to the evolution of the medical assistant role.
What responsibilities do medical assistants have today?
Perform both administrative and clinical duties
They support the medical practice, allowing physicians to focus on patient care.
How has the role of medical assistants changed in recent years?
They have greater responsibility and more authority
This is due to the increasing number of patients and paperwork.
What are the global influences on health care?
Cultural, environmental, political, and socioeconomic factors
These influences affect health care access and delivery worldwide.
What impact did the recent worldwide pandemic have on health care?
Affected how individuals access medical care and respond to potential illness
It also influenced work and social interactions.
What influences health care practices according to cultural beliefs?
Health, illness, and healing beliefs influenced by culture, religion, and ethnicity
These beliefs affect communication, health care seeking, and treatment adherence.
What environmental factors influence health?
Job security, workplace safety, and perceived work value
Work-related injuries can affect long-term employee health.
How does climate impact health?
Over-exposure to the sun, frostbite, pneumonia, and vitamin D deficiency
Different climates pose various health risks.
What is a consequence of air pollution?
Increases the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases
Environmental quality plays a significant role in public health.
What political forces affect health care?
Government regulations and state laws
These can include smoking bans and health awareness campaigns.
True or False: Government campaigns against drinking and driving aim to improve public health.
True
These initiatives are examples of political efforts to enhance community health.
What does socioeconomic status (SES) describe?
SES describes income, educational attainment, occupational prestige, perceptions of social status and social class, quality of life, and opportunities afforded to people within society.
SES is a complex web of factors that influence health and well-being.
How can financial factors affect housing decisions?
Financial factors can affect housing decisions, food and meal decisions, essential utilities affordability, and ability to exercise.
Limited resources can lead to poor living conditions and unhealthy choices.
What are the consequences of unsteady employment on health?
Unsteady employment can lead to uninsured or under-insured families, greater health risks, and challenges.
This situation can perpetuate a cycle of poverty and poor health.
What is the impact of feeling safe and secure on health?
People are healthiest when they feel safe and secure, supported, and connected to family, workplace, and community.
Emotional and social support plays a crucial role in physical and mental well-being.
What advancements contributed to increased life expectancy?
Advancements included life support measures, quicker and better resuscitation, feeding tubes, respirators, and new drugs.
These advancements allowed individuals to live longer, including premature babies who previously had low survival rates.
What trend was observed in health care costs?
Health care costs increased due to high demand for medical services and advancements in technology.
Increased expectations for medical care regardless of ability to pay also contributed.
How did the role of insurance companies evolve in health care?
Insurance companies emerged to help pay for health care as costs began to rise.
This marked a shift from direct payments to third-party reimbursements.
What challenges do physicians face today?
Physicians face increased demands on their time, declining health care reimbursement, and rising costs of living and operating a medical practice.
High rents, malpractice rates, and the cost of electronic health systems contribute to these challenges.
Fill in the blank: Women make ______% of the medical decisions in non-emergency cases.
85%
This statistic indicates the significant influence women have in health care decision-making.
True or False: The health care delivery system is static and does not change.
False
The health care delivery system continues to evolve to accommodate diverse populations and comply with regulations.
What historical payment method did country physicians use?
Country physicians traded services for chickens, eggs, or vegetables.
This barter system reflects the early days of medical practice before formal payment systems were established.
What can lead to a cycle of poverty and poor health?
Fewer job and educational opportunities, unsteady employment, and limited resources can lead to a cycle of poverty and poor health.
This cycle can affect individuals and families over the long term.
What has caused malpractice insurance rates to soar?
Malpractice insurance rates soared due to an increase in lawsuits.
Physicians often order more tests and procedures as a protective measure.
What is a new form of health care employment mentioned in the text?
Health coach
A health coach functions similarly to a personal trainer, focusing on individual patient relationships.
What is one role of a health coach in a patient’s healing process?
Explaining information provided by the physician
Health coaches help patients understand medical information and encourage them to ask questions.
What demographic trend is increasing the need for medical attention?
An increase in the number of older adults
Older adults require medical care for longer periods due to longer life expectancies.
What is a potential consequence of older adults retiring from the workforce?
Replacement by less experienced individuals
This can affect management and personnel in medical offices.
What is currently experiencing a shortage of skilled professionals?
Health IT (Information Technology)
The shortage is due to the increased need to manage electronic health systems.
What does evidence-based medicine emphasize?
The use of reliable research
Evidence-based medicine improves the verification and review of clinical data before acceptance as good practice.
What are Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs)?
Organizations that integrate physicians, clinics, and hospitals
ACOs aim to pool resources and cut expenses while focusing on quality of care.
What trend may lead to the decline of independent physicians and stand-alone hospitals?
Consolidation into super-sized organizations
This includes payers, hospitals, health systems, and pharmaceutical suppliers.
What are ‘Hospital at home’ programs designed to do?
Provide acute care services in patients’ homes
These programs aim to treat patients who might otherwise need hospitalization.
What is an ambulatory intensive care unit (A-ICU)?
Intensive care units without walls
A-ICUs offer intensive care wherever beds are available, not limited to hospital settings.
What is the focus of whole-person care?
Aging gracefully and living longer
This focus is supported by approaches from naturopathic physicians and holistic medicine.
What is one way patients are taking more control of their care?
Growth in self-monitoring techniques
Patients are increasingly using interoperable electronic health records and health portals.
What wellness incentives are employers beginning to offer?
Free health tools and gym memberships
Employers are focusing on lifestyle choices that lead to higher health care costs.
What are private insurance exchanges allowing employees to do?
Compare benefits from dozens of insurers
This helps patients become informed consumers regarding the cost and quality of care.
What is a significant challenge in managing care for patients?
Multiple chronic conditions
Patients with multiple chronic conditions represent a major challenge in health care management.
What has become a primary focus for improving health care internationally?
Consumers
New ways to deal with consumer health will result in lower hospital utilization.
What are health insurance companies looking for to motivate their members?
Innovative ways to monitor health
Behavior tools like mobile wellness apps will help improve sleep, nutrition, and exercise.
What has become prevalent due to highly contagious diseases like COVID-19?
Telemedicine and video appointments
Clinics are utilizing online scheduling and limiting patients in waiting rooms.
What challenge did mental health care providers face during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Overwhelmed by the number of people seeking services
A large portion of the population was confined to their homes.
What is one concern regarding primary care physicians in the United States?
Potential shortage of primary care physicians
Questions arise regarding the impact of health care reform on physicians.
How are health professionals seeing Medicare patients being compensated?
According to the quality of care provided
This is a shift from payment based on the number of services performed.
What financial support are community health centers receiving?
Billions of dollars
This funding is expected to allow for 20 million new patients.
List the four indicators of a population’s health.
- Life expectancy
- Healthy life expectancy (HLE)
- Mortality
- Disability
What is one goal related to education that supports health?
Achieving universal primary education
Links education and literacy to good health practices.
What diseases are targeted for combating to improve health?
- HIV/AIDS
- Malaria
- Obesity
Reducing these diseases can lower chronic illness rates.
What is a goal related to environmental sustainability?
Ensuring clean water and reducing air pollution
This affects basic needs like air, water, and food.
How does eradicating poverty and hunger influence health?
Directly influences health
Poverty and hunger are major determinants of health outcomes.
What is one goal for improving maternal health?
Decreasing deaths of mothers during childbirth
This includes addressing unskilled birth attendants and infections.
What major indicator shows disparity between ethnic groups regarding child health?
Child mortality rate
Black/African American infants have higher mortality rates than other groups.
Despite spending more on health care, what does the United States not have?
The highest longevity rate or lowest infant mortality rate
The U.S. health care system is not cost-effective.
Who are the most vulnerable populations in weak health care systems?
- Women
- Children
- Older adults
What is a consequence of physicians and nurses leaving rural areas?
Increased risk for vulnerable populations
This trend is observed in regions like Africa and Asia.
