Global Issues in Healthcare: Cultural Competence and Patient Safety

Introduction. Domestic Issues

• Unpreparedness for emergencies (like Covid-19)
• Lack of a comprehensive regulatory framework
• Drug pricing regulation
• Quality control by the authorities

Domestic Issues’ Impact on U.S. HCM

Within the framework of domestic issues’ impact on US HCM, the following supporting systems are affected to the greatest extent:

• intellectual capital;
• financial and technical resources;
• regulatory dimension.

Global Issues

• Unstable and uneven quality of personnel training.
• Low level of qualification of specialists.
• Lack of staff providing primary health care.
• Disproportionate number of doctors and nurses.
• Weak motivation and weak social protection of employees of medical institutions.

Global Issues’ Impact on U.S. HCM

1. Recognition of the importance of healthcare international integration
2. The US healthcare establishments strive to impalement the best managerial practices
3. The necessity of staff’s communication skills development
4. US HCM is affected by outside innovations

U.S. Biggest Issues

1. Preventable medical errors
2. Lack of transparency
3. High costs of care
4. Lack of insurance coverage
5. Shortage of specialists
6. Inefficiency
7. Difficulties in selecting a good physician
8. Insignificant amendable mortality rates

Social Media Effects

Social media impacts:

1. Patients
2. Researchers in the medical field

Social media also impacts:

1. Medical institutions
2. Governmental establishments involved in the field

Positive aspects of social media in the US:

• Availability of remote consultations with healthcare providers
• Access to necessary medical information and the related updates

Negative aspects:

• Spread of unreliable healthcare information
• Communications with fake medical specialists
• There are no considerable obstacles to use social media in the US
• Social media are available practically to everyone
• Only financial and religious factors matter in this vein
• Not having access to social media can have adverse effects

Population’s Reactions

1. In different countries, people have different level of access to healthcare
2. This depends on a country’s development and significance
3. Medical services are better provided in developed countries
4. Population reacts more radically if there are no civilized means to address healthcare issues
5. In such cases, governmental interference into healthcare management is inevitable
6. This is more likely to happen in developing countries
7. In the US, social inequality is a pressing issue in healthcare
8. Many racial or social factors lead to this
9. Black women are subject to this inequality significantly (Manuel, 2018)
10. Resources that these subpopulations might not have access to:

    1. Medical insurance
    2. Continuous treatment
    3. Costly and rare drugs
11. Cultural differences imply variations in terms of attitude to healthcare
12. Some religions restrict the opportunity to obtain help from healthcare sector
13. Cultural differences may hinder patient-doctor relations
14. Cultural competency is essential globally
15. Healthcare has become an integrated element of politics
16. Legal environment shapes HCM’s activities
17. HCM, politics, and laws interrelate significantly
18. Both domestic and international practices matter
19. Hence, HCM is affected internationally and domestically

Ways in which the US may react:

• Scope of practice
• Health insurance coverage
• Healthcare costs
• Medicare and Medicaid

Conclusion

• Domestic and global issues are interrelated
• The US has several pressing HCM issues
• Social media are important to healthcare
• Numerous factors diversify population’s reactions

References

Brach, C., Hall, K. and Fitall, E. (2019) Cultural competence and patient safety. Web.

Manuel J. (2018) ‘Racial/ethnic and gender disparities in health care use and access’, Health Services Research, 53(3), pp. 1407–1429. Web.

MediFind (2018) 8 major problems with the U.S. healthcare system. Web.

World Health Organization. 10 global health issues to track in 2021. Web.