The process of formation of U.S. healthcare policies is premised on several stages. To begin with, the consultation process is carried out to define the benefits and shortcomings of the strategy. Further, legislative organs should consider the proposal of a healthcare reform to define whether it is necessary to legitimize it. This procedure is the most sophisticated one because the government should consider the evidence to define whether this proposal works, as well as consult other authoritative bodies that know the universally accepted standards in healthcare. Additionally, the government must examine the feedbacks from important stakeholders, such as hospitals and their clients.
Finally, as soon as the reform has been legally approved, it is possible to proceed with the implementation process. Ongoing development of healthcare in the United States makes the implementation process challenging due to rapid advances in technology.
Specifically, there is a growing tendency in receiving care from numerous physicians who work at different institutions. At this point, it is highly important to develop an integrated delivery network that can allow patients to coordinate with their physicians and receive immediate feedback from them (Morgan, Mechanic, and Lee, 2006). This healthcare reform requires reassessment of the main aspects of healthcare organization, including information system exchange, and construction of new facilities. The government should also provide extra budgeting to organization the proposed transformation.
With regard to the above presented transformation processes, possible changes could be introduced. To begin with, the government should take stronger control of all possible shifts occurred in health to be able to provide immediate response to those. Constant monitoring of the results of the already adopted reforms is also necessary to define whether they contribute to the welfare of the U.S. population. Apart from consulting, legitimizing, and implementing, specific attention should also be given to research process (Morgan et al., 2006). In particular, observational surveys and interviews should be conducted to shed light to actual situation in the country.
In order to meet the technological requirements, researchers must conduct studies in the recently introduced novelties in health care; they should also test whether the quality of implemented device conforms to the accepted standards (Morgan et al., 2006). Finally, government must not play the leading role in creating and implementing policies they should give space to other stakeholders to contribute to the healthcare policy formation.
Healthcare is a constantly changing environment, and the role of nurses is to adjust to those changes efficiently and ensure higher quality of healthcare services. Specifically, they do not only have to accept the emerged changes, but also take an active part in development and advancement of other possible reforms. Nurse professionals must monitor all possible changes and define whether the newly introduced policies contribute to the welfare of their clients.
More importantly, they should also invent new ways of ameliorating both the employed environment and the conditions for patients. As an example, Boyle et al. (2008) describe the experience of health care providers in addressing the problem of obesity, as well as in implementing specialized prevention program to advocate newly health care policies. Importantly, the study includes surveys and questionnaires that seek to analyze response of patients and physicians to the problem of excess weight among children. Therefore, the program is beneficial for improving the quality of health care in the department.
References
Boyle, M., Lawrence, S., Schwarte, L., Samuel, S., McCarthy, W. (2008). Health Care Providers’ Perceived Role in Changing Environments to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity: Baseline Findings From Health Care Providers Participating in the Healthy Eating, Active Communities Program. Pediatrics. 123(5), 293-300.
Morgan, J. J., Mechanic, R. E., and Lee, T. H. (2006). Transforming U.S. Health Care: Policy Challenges Affecting the Integration and Improvement of Care. Brookings. Web.