Barriers to Health Care
Barriers to Health Care
Week 6: Assignment
(Barriers to Health Care) Points: 45 | Due Date: Week 6, Day 7 | CLO: 4 | Grade Category: Assignments
Assignment Prompt
Respond to the following questions concerning the identified disparities to health within the Healthy People 2020:
Are there tools to help identify these gaps in care?
If you could develop a screening tool to address a barrier to healthcare, what would it look like?
Who would administer this and what resources would you need to coordinate with to solve this problem?
Is this feasible for a clinic setting? Why or why not?
Expectations
Due: Monday, 11:59 pm PT
Length: 1500 words
Format: APA
Research: At least two high-level scholarly references in APA from within the last 5 years.
Barriers to Health Care: Addressing Disparities
Healthcare disparities refer to the differences in access, quality, and outcomes of healthcare across different population groups. In the context of Healthy People 2020, addressing these disparities is essential to achieving health equity. By identifying tools that help detect these gaps and developing innovative screening methods, we can take steps toward providing more inclusive and accessible healthcare. Below is an analysis of the questions provided concerning the barriers to healthcare.
Tools to Identify Gaps in Care
Several tools exist to identify gaps in care, particularly for underserved populations. These tools are designed to collect and analyze data on healthcare disparities, ensuring a clearer understanding of the barriers faced by certain groups. For example, the Healthcare Disparities and Cultural Competency module from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is a tool used to highlight disparities by measuring health outcomes in various demographic groups. This module identifies disparities based on race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geographic location. Additionally, the Health Disparities Calculator (HDCalc) by the National Cancer Institute is an analytical tool designed to generate multiple measures of disparity.
Health Information Technology (HIT) also plays an essential role. Electronic Health Records (EHRs), when integrated with demographic data, can identify groups of patients who consistently experience poor outcomes. By highlighting these patterns, healthcare providers can focus on developing intervention programs targeted at reducing these disparities.
Developing a Screening Tool to Address a Barrier to Healthcare
If I were to develop a screening tool to address a healthcare barrier, it would focus on identifying patients at risk of poor healthcare access due to social determinants. The tool would be an SDOH (Social Determinants of Health) Risk Assessment Questionnaire. This screening tool would contain sections that assess factors such as housing stability, food security, access to transportation, language barriers, and insurance coverage. By evaluating these social determinants, healthcare providers could proactively address the challenges patients face outside the healthcare system that affect their ability to access care.
The questionnaire would include both closed-ended and open-ended questions, such as:
- Do you have reliable transportation to medical appointments? (Yes/No)
- How many times in the past 12 months have you skipped medication because you could not afford it? (Never/Once/Multiple times)
- How safe do you feel in your home and community? (Not safe/Somewhat safe/Very safe)
The data gathered would help prioritize patients needing extra resources or referrals to support services such as food banks, housing assistance, and transportation services.
Administration and Coordination
The screening tool would be administered by healthcare professionals such as nurses or social workers during initial patient intake and periodically at follow-up appointments. The tool could also be integrated into the Electronic Health Records (EHR) system, allowing clinicians to access and update the data regularly.
Resources needed to implement this tool include the development of referral systems that connect patients to community resources. For example, partnerships with local non-profit organizations that provide transportation, housing support, and financial assistance for medical bills would be essential.
Healthcare staff would also need training to understand the significance of social determinants of health and the role they play in patient outcomes. This requires collaboration between hospitals, community organizations, and government programs, ensuring patients receive comprehensive care addressing both medical and social needs.
Feasibility in a Clinical Setting
Implementing this screening tool in a clinical setting is feasible. Many healthcare facilities, especially those serving underserved populations, have already begun using screening tools to address social determinants. For example, community health centers across the U.S. have integrated similar tools to assess non-medical patient needs and coordinate social services.
However, one challenge could be ensuring that all staff members are trained adequately to administer the tool. Another challenge may be the time required to implement the screening, particularly in high-volume clinics where patient encounters need to be quick. To mitigate this, the tool could be implemented in phases, starting with patients identified as high-risk based on previous health disparities data.
Additionally, technological integration with the EHR could automate parts of the process, allowing staff to focus on care coordination rather than data entry. For clinics serving diverse populations, the tool could be made available in multiple languages, further reducing barriers to understanding and engagement.
Conclusion
Addressing disparities in healthcare requires a multifaceted approach. Existing tools like AHRQ’s disparities module and health data analytics can identify gaps in care, while screening tools focused on social determinants of health can provide individualized insights into barriers faced by patients. The proposed SDOH Risk Assessment Questionnaire can be an effective tool for identifying vulnerable populations and linking them to necessary support services. With appropriate administration, resource coordination, and thoughtful implementation, this tool is not only feasible but could significantly improve healthcare access and outcomes in clinical settings.
Reference
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). (n.d.). Healthcare disparities and cultural competency. Retrieved from https://www.ahrq.gov/research/findings/nhqrdr/nhqdr17/measures.html
