The clinical advocacy reading entitled “Making a Difference Through Advocacy” discussed the importance of the following topics: 1) Parent-Professional Partnerships; 2) The Ability to Measure the Effects of a Partnership; and 3) The Medical Home. One of the main goals of clinical advocacy is to strengthen the partnership among health workers, parents, community-based organizations, non-government agencies, volunteers and youth groups in order to ensure the safety of children and teenagers.
Without a doubt the Parent-Professional Partnerships help expand the capability of health professionals to meet the needs of the patients. This assertion was made clear through the works of organizations like Family Voices and Family TIES. These organizations documented major breakthroughs when it comes to assisting parents with disabled children. The main idea was to advocate the importance of collaboration.
It is not enough to foster partnerships with various stakeholders, it is imperative to develop a mechanism to measure the effects of partnerships. Although there are obvious advantages of collaboration and sharing of resources, it is important to clarify the impact of the partnerships created through advocacy. Participants must know how to set the right goals and measure the efficiency of the collaborative efforts when it comes to accomplishing the said goals. One of the keys to success is the ability to justify the amount of time and resources needed for the different stakeholders to collaborate with each other. Therefore, it is crucial to establish the necessary documentation process to record pertinent information regarding the said partnership.
One of the best ways to improve the success rate of Patient-Professional Partnerships is to develop projects based on The Medical Home framework. The Medical Home concept espouses the importance of creating a health care delivery system for children and teenagers based on integrative endeavors. Thus, the Patient-Professional Partnerships must develop health care delivery systems with the following components in mind: 1) Accessibility; 2) Family Centeredness; 3) Continuous care; 4) Comprehensive services; 5) Coordination; 6) Compassionate delivery; and 7) Culturally effective understanding.
One of the best ways to improve the success rate of Patient-Professional Partnerships is to study successful models of community-based collaborations. One of the best examples is the Head Start Program. Since the early 1970s, the Head Start Program has been a key community institution in many parts of the United States. One of the main reasons for its enduring success is the existence of a comprehensive program for children and families. The Head Start Program offers a wide array of educational, developmental, health, and dental services. The secret to its success is the ability to combine the benefits of education and health care. Thus, the health care delivery system was integrated into an educational system. As a result, parents, volunteers, and other stakeholders saw its relevance in the early phase of development. This is the type of collaborative efforts that attract the participation of community-based organizations, non-government agencies, volunteers and youth groups.
To conclude, one of the best ways to solve pressing issues regarding the health and educational needs of children is the creation of Patient-Professional Partnerships. In order to improve the success rate of the said partnerships, the participants must utilize The Medical Home framework in order to develop a comprehensive program. A comprehensive plan like the Head Start Program is a good example of a collaborative effort to combine all the available community resources to create an exhaustive health care delivery system.