Public Policy
The selected public policy for this discussion is the use of health technologies in healthcare. Medical technologies and informatics are currently impacting the quality of medical care available to more patients. As an Intensive Care Nurse working in a cardiology department, modern technologies have impacted my practice positively. The use of medical technologies in the department is in accordance with the requirements of meaningful use (Silow-Carroll, Edwards, & Rodin, 2012, p. 7). The term “meaningful use focuses on the use of electronic health records (EHRs) to improve efficiency, safety, and reduce disparities in healthcare” (Silow-Carroll et al., 2012, p. 8)
The presented policy is aimed at promoting the quality of care, reducing health costs, and ensuring sustainable service are available to more people. Personally, I believe that the policy has achieved some of the intended results. Many healthcare facilities are using EHRs to support the diverse needs of their patients (Kern, Edwards, & Kaushal, 2015). Past studies show conclusively that many hospitals are embracing different technologies to meet their clients’ needs. Statistics also show clearly that over 60 percent of healthcare workers use different technologies such as social networks to improve their skills (Silow-Carroll et al., 2012). Experts believe that more hospitals will have fulfilled most of the meaningful use requirements by 2022.
The implementation of EHR systems in health is something that has led to positive results. For instance, more people are now able to receive timely and superior health services than ever before. Modern technologies are making it easier for physicians to exchange health information and improve service delivery (Kern et al., 2015). Telemedicine is a new concept that has emerged from the policy.
This policy agenda has affected my practice positively. As a nurse working in a cardiology setting, I always use modern technologies to improve every care delivery process. Modern technologies have transformed my experience in the healthcare environment positively (Kern et al., 2015). The use of different technologies in our department has streamlined the healthcare delivery process, minimized chances of sentinel events, and reduced incidences of discrimination.
Health Care Issue
The ultimate goal of healthcare practice is to improve the quality of medical services available to every client. The occurrence of different issues can affect the existing care delivery models. The commonest health care issue experienced in our department is poor communication. More often than not, some nurses and physicians differ whenever providing the intended patient support (Howlett, McConnell, & Perl, 2014). This issue has led to poor health outcomes.
The issue can therefore be addressed using the policy process. The Kingdon’s model can be used to guide the proposed policy development. The first step is identifying the problem (Howlett et al., 2014). The current problem arises from poor communication and ineffective mentorship. The stakeholders can be informed about the problem and why it has to be addressed. The next stage is policy proposition. Using evidence-based facts and evidences, the issues affecting the department will be used to inform the proposed policy.
The third stage is supporting the politics in the workplace to favor the policy (Howlett et al., 2014). The leaders and head nurses will be informed about the benefits of effective communication. The next stage is allowing different players to present their views. Finally, the policy window will ensure the proposed change is implemented. The use of technology in the department will result in improved communication and eventually transform the experiences of more clients.
References
Howlett, M., McConnell, A., & Perl, A. (2014). Streams and stages: Reconciling Kingdon and policy process theory. European Journal of Political Research, 1(1), 1-16. Web.
Kern, L., Edwards, A., & Kaushal, R. (2015). The meaningful use of electronic health records and health care utilization. American Journal of Medical Quality, 31(4), 1-12. Web.
Silow-Carroll, S., Edwards, J., & Rodin, D. (2012). Using electronic health records to improve quality and efficiency: The experiences of leading hospitals. The Commonwealth Fund, 1(1), 1-40.