Cooper Green Hospital and the community care plan

Cooper Green Hospital and the Community Care Plan System Analysis

Discuss six unique problems associated with delivering health care to an indigent population.

Limited funding for patient care, programs and supplies

Due to lack of ability of patient to pay out of pocket for services as well as lack of health care coverage patient care funding is nearly always limited to resources associated with civic funding which fluctuates significantly during economic fluctuations leaving significant shortfalls during periods of economic downturn and potentially overfunding during economic growth periods (Zwanziger, Khan, & Bamezai, 2010).

Limited structural infrastructural funding

Due to funding issues associated with limited patient and insurer input major structural and infrastructural changes are often delayed or even avoided, past the point where changes or improvements need to be made. This make do environment challenges the provision of care and makes it very difficult for the program/hospital to attract clients who can pay out of pocket or whom are insured, due to concerns about quality of care (Zwanziger, Khan, & Bamezai, 2010).

Patients often delay care due to lack of ability to pay

Patients who are poor, and lack insurance often delay care until their condition becomes more serious, creating the needs for even higher levels of care than would be needed if they had sought care earlier in their disease cycle. This situation is universal to poor populations and creates a need for greater emergency services as uninsured peoples often seek care in emergency departments due to lack of other available options or at the least perceived lack of access options as well as limited time constraints (Chou, Johnson, Ward, Blewett, 2009).

Patient knowledge regarding health

Patients who do not have consistent primary care often have limited knowledge about their own health as they have limited consistent contact with health care providers and others who might inform them of their state of health and/or their need to make changes to lifestyle and/or manage their care more effectively (Wynia, & Osborn, 2010).

Patient environmental/social challenges impact health negatively

Many indigent or low SES individuals also face significant barriers to health from their environment including but not limited to the need to work long hours for low pay, the possibility of having a lower than average education level, the fact that they often live in challenging environments with relation to crime, poverty and access to all kinds of services, including healthy food, low cost healthcare, transportation and might even be in transitional situations such as immigrants from other nations with language barriers or other educationally-based barriers (Wynia, & Osborn, 2010).

Staff dissatisfaction

Staff that is committed to serving the poor are often overworked and underpaid, in addition there are often far more challenges than resources to meet patient needs and a general community wide sense that the poor are poor by choice and therefore do not necessarily deserve provisions that are funded by taxpayers. Though most people who choose such professions and positions are fundamentally aware that these community fallacies are untrue the working environment, low pay, and some negative interactions with patients add to low morale and challenge anyone to do their job efficiently and with a patient quality of care focus (Adams, Ginter, & Swayne, 2001, p. 7-10).

Discuss the five ways that the Community Care Plan will improve the health status of the community.

Improve access to care

The CCP program clearly demonstrates an attempt by the hospital and its partners to improve access to care, generally through community placements of clinics closer to where people in need live and work as well as offering services on a sliding scale that responds to their real economic abilities to pay and need for services. The wait time improvement alone could potentially greatly improve the community health by allowing people with limited means access to care in a way that does not further tax their time and health (p. 699).

Improve access to preventative care

Health care interventions that occur prior to the development of more serious healthcare issues is much more accessible and common when individuals are receiving care on a more timely basis. This is especially true in the case of CCP as the initial process of enrollment involves the use of a head to toe physical and health assessment that provides both a baseline for the individual as well as a demonstrative look at any real potential problems the individual might develop as part of their health. These early assessments as well as those that occur on a primary care level are essential to spotting potential health problems before they occur or worsen and formulating proactive treatment approaches ("Columbia School of Nursing…" 2005).

Improvement of access to primary care providers

It is acknowledged throughout the healthcare industry as well as elsewhere that access to primary care provides greater patient outcomes as services provided by a single provider are often more comprehensive and holistic, and follow a known pattern to both the provider and the patient that allows greater overall health and wellness as well as allowing treatment for chronic conditions and problems on a regular basis ("Columbia School of Nursing…" 2005).

Improve wait times and resource allocation on the part of patients

Due to the fact that clinics are located near patients and that patient loads, even at capacity are reasonable for the provision of timely care, where patients are required to wait only a few minutes to be seen in most cases as opposed to waiting for a triage exam in an ER, a wait to see an actual doctor in the ER or in another location and wait time for discharge all of which can encompass many hours of waiting with only limited time with a provider (Adams, Ginter, & Swayne, 2001).