National, State, and Local Policies Raising Ethical Questions for Care Coordination
Some national, state, and local policies raise ethical questions for care coordination. One of them is HIPAA provisions. As noted initially, HIPAA was established to ensure data integrity in healthcare. It safeguards the confidentiality and privacy of patient data. HIPAA provisions however raise ethical questions related to data integrity in the care coordination process. Healthcare providers involved in care coordination share patient data to make sound decisions on the care needed. The sharing of patient data raises concerns about its privacy and confidentiality. Patients should be assured that the sharing of private and confidential data will not be accessed by unauthorized parties in the care process. The other policy that raises ethical questions for care coordination is the Affordable Care Act. The Affordable Care Act was adopted with the main aim of increasing the proportion of the American population with medical insurance coverage. The increase in the population with medical insurance was anticipated to result in enhanced access to healthcare, including care coordination. Through it, the act could have address barriers to healthcare attributed to affordability and availability of healthcare services. The act has however undergone changes that have increased the requirements to be met by the majority of the poor population in America. The revisions in the act continually make it difficult for the poor to benefit from its provisions. The other issue that raises ethical questions for care coordination is healthcare access by ethnic minority populations in the USA. Accordingly, significant disparities in access to healthcare services exist in the USA due to effect of race/ethnicity. Ethnic minority groups such as African Americans experience challenges in accessing their needed care due to socioeconomic factors. Inequalities in healthcare access by ethnic minorities raises ethical concerns related to the population’s right to accessing and utilizing healthcare services. The American population has the right to access coordinated care. However, effect of factors such as ethnicity and socioeconomic status raises concerns about the role of government in enhancing equity in access to healthcare services.
Impact of Nurses’ Code of Ethics on Care Coordination
The nurses’ code of ethics affects care coordination and continuum of care. One of the ways in which it affects care coordination and continuum of care is that they promote ethical decision making. The code of ethics inform nurses to make decisions that align with their professional roles and obligations. They ensure the adopted decisions minimize patient harm and optimize outcomes. The code of ethics also strengthens patient-centeredness in care coordination and continuum of care. Accordingly, it raises the level of awareness among nurses on their roles in ensuring holism in the patient care process. The ethics enable nurses to prioritize both the actual and potential health needs of their patients. They also enhance the adoption of interventions that empower patients take responsibility for their health, hence, patient-centeredness in the care process. Nurses’ code of ethics also influence care coordination by ensuring that the adopted decisions protect the patients’ rights. Nurses involved in care coordination ensure that the rights of patients to safe, efficient, and high quality care are protected in the care process. The code of ethics also strengthen professionalism, responsibility and accountability in care coordination and continuum. Nurses involved in care coordination ensure that the care given to the patients align with the professional standards and regulations in nursing, hence, the realization of the desired goals of care in care coordination.
Factors Contributing to Health, Health Disparities, and Access to Services
Several factors contribute to health, health disparities and access to healthcare services. One of the factors is poverty. Poverty affects health, access to healthcare services, and acts as a source of health disparities. Poverty affects the population’s ability to access and afford their needed care due to cost constraints. As a result, they are increasingly predisposed to poor health outcomes. The other factor is the level of education. Highly educated people have access to better employment opportunities and remuneration. They also have a high level of awareness about their health needs. The level of education determines population’s health through aspects such as access and affordability of healthcare services. The other factor is insurance coverage. Medical insurance coverage reduces the costs incurred in the care process. It also enhances access to healthcare services since patients do not incur out-of-pocket spending in seeking their nee
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