Week 7 Discussion There is a significant n umber of health care reform initiativ

Question

Week 7 Discussion

There is a significant n umber of health care reform initiatives which are ongoing currently, which includes the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Discuss what the role of the consumer/patient should be in the health care “equation.” Consider what their responsibilities should be with regard to lifestyle choices and compliance with prescribed treatments for their medical conditions and whether the right of having access to health care should or should not entail responsibilities for the patient. Justify your reply.

Explanation / Answer

Role of consumer / patient in health care equation is equally important as the role of health care providers and government policies. Government runs programs and schemes for promoting good health practices, healthy food. It makes acts and regulations to govern, administer and control policies for health care providers, insurance companies, manufacturers of food and medicine to ensure compliance to established health and safety standards. It administers prevention and control of communicable diseases and epidemics. It works towards providing basic sanitation, clean air and water. There are lots efforts, policies and health care initiatives by government standalone and in collaboration with private health care providers, social organizations and international organizations such as WHO, UNICEF, Red Cross.

Despite all these efforts, the world is reeling under the epidemic of obesity and diabetes. These are because of the lifestyle choices that consumers make. And also being non serious to their responsibilities with regard to compliance to the prescribed treatments and preventive practices for their medical conditions. Holistic health care can be delivered in collaboration with consumers/patients and not in a one way. Because no health care system can push the medicines in patient’s mouth and force him or her to eat healthy food. The right of having access to health care should also entail responsibilities for the patient to make right lifestyle choices and ensure compliance to the prescribed treatments for their medical conditions.

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