Current health policy to support the nursing shortage, physician shortage, and rural health

Assignment Details

Discuss the current health policy to support the nursing shortage, physician shortage, and rural health. As a legislator, how would you propose to negotiate to support the needs of the country? Note: Initial answers to the discussion question must be substantive and in the range of 150–300 words. Any references should be properly cited following APA formatting guidelines.

Health Policy

Health care professionals directly influence the quality and cost of health via their diagnoses, prescriptions, treatment, and orders. However, health care experts say that there is a shortage of health care professionals, such as nurses and physicians, as well as rural health. The shortage of nurses, physicians, and rural health is a worrisome trend, especially to health care executives. The shortage of nurses and physicians makes it problematic to operate a profitable medical facility while at the same time balancing patient care and developing a good work culture that motivates employee retention. It is, therefore, essential to assess a policy that can support the shortage of nurses, physicians, and rural health. 

Medicare and Medicaid Payments to Teaching Hospitals Program

One of the current policies that support the nursing shortage, physician shortage, and rural health is the introduction of the Medicare and Medicaid payments to teaching hospitals program. This policy ensures more equitable funding of health workforce programs to create a more balanced health delivery ecosystem ultimately (Nuss, Robinson, & Buckley, 2015). Currently, the large majority of federal funding for the education of health care professionals helps teaching hospitals’ training of physicians and nurses. Teaching hospitals are currently providing medical care to patients while offering clinical education and training to future and present physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals. This program also supports rural health because it ensures that there are enough nurses and physicians that can be deployed in rural areas. It is important to note that rural health is affected by the shortage of nurses and physicians. The federal government, via this policy, subsidizes teaching hospitals by paying for the direct and indirect costs of resident salaries and fringe benefits and teaching supervision by faculty physicians and nurses. 

Proposal to Negotiate to Support the Needs of the Country as a Legislator

As a legislator, it is crucial to always put the needs of the country first before anything. One needs to listen, think, and vote his or her conscience. When negotiating to support the needs of the people, it is essential to note that the people will not always agree with you, but they will respect you for thinking through the issues and reaching a common ground (Clarke, 2016). As a legislator, I would ensure that my legislature is responsive to public demands and needs and bring the opposing side to the table to negotiate for the needs of the country. The negotiation will involve exchanges of opinions and building consensus. In the proposes of negotiating for the country’s needs, it is crucial to be prepared to compromise, deal with opposition, and trade the legislation that supports the needs of the country so that others can buy into a settlement.

Most importantly, the negotiation to support the needs of the country will include enough input from citizens and organized groups in law-making decisions. Besides, I would ensure that the degree of partnership is reasonable and that the majority party possesses enough clout to ensure that things get done (Clarke, 2016). Moreover, it is also vital to ensure that the legislature is deliberative and allows for a give and take and the open exchange of ideas at all phases of the informal legislative process.

References

Clarke, D. (2016). Law, regulation and strategizing for health. Strategizing national health in the 21st century: a handbook. Geneva: World Health Organization.

Nuss, M. A., Robinson, B., & Buckley, P. F. (2015). A statewide strategy for expanding graduate medical education by establishing new teaching hospitals and residency programs. Academic Medicine, 90(9), 1264-1268.