Introduction
Policymaking can be defined as the authoritative allocation of values (Easton D 1953). The process and implementation of policymaking involve those in positions of authority making decisions that have a unique status within the group to which they will apply. The result of these choices ranges from national health policies prepared by the government to clinical guiding principles determined by professionals in the health sector. The process of policymaking is broad and can include government ministers and officials, either as local health service managers or as representatives of a professional body. (Buxton M & Hanney S, 1996).
Main body
Health research has over the years taken a significant improvement which has helped in utilizing and better understanding of policymaking and the mechanisms involved. There have been calls for the improvement of health in developing countries through additional resources in addition to global pressures for accountability. As a result attention has been drawn to research informed policymaking. Therefore we realize how important health research is in policy-making; it should be utilized such that it breeds policies that may lead to the preferred outcomes, including health benefits. In this paper, the discussion of these issues is put together with the process of policymaking, how it is affected by the external environment and a review of policy-making in its various forms.
HCOs have merged with the external environment which includes variety of stakeholders such as patients, government, third party payers, state licensing agencies and state federal laws and regulations. HCOs need to incorporate the external stakeholders in advocacy and lobbying. The linkage between environment and organization should therefore a two way interaction. The CEO therefore has the responsibility to advocate for the HCO, constituents that it represents and the population that it serves. CEOs have the role of influencing the formulation and implementation of the public policy.
In this case therefore, all HCOs are responsible for meeting community service obligations, which may include special initiatives for care for the poor, less fortunate and uninsured and various programs to design to meet the needs of their communities. By doing so, the HCOs have the responsibility to comply with the standards of care implicit in all health policy.
Previous studies show that the factors that enhance utilization in policymaking are identified by examination of priority setting; actions of the health research system at the crossing point linking research and policy making; the role of the external environment in policymaking are all regarded as very vital.
Recommendations about the possible creative and productive ways of the external environment have been merged with how it can influence good policymaking. My conclusion is that since external environment is a determinant of health policy-making, it must be given a closer look and proper study to enhance the process of health policymaking in a way that will bring benefits to the population involved.
The process of health policy-making in America takes different stages which include analyzing the characteristics of health reform planning which encompasses the right to propose bills limited to members of congress and contribution of policy ideas from government bodies and think tanks. Another stage included is that of closely looking at the characteristics of health policymaking; since the US is a federal republic, the states take it upon themselves to push ahead with reforms.
In addition, the American Medical Association is also well known for its lobbying activities. Third is the scrutiny of the characteristics of debate on reform; great importance is closely linked to the rationality of financing as well as the validity of the ideological framework of reform. The information on health policy obtained is then shared among the parties concerned whereby various medical databases are kept and made accessible to the public. The final stage consists of implementing the health policy whereby it is shaped by the perception of health care as a prerequisite of economic growth.
The external environment plays a very important part in the process of policymaking in matters concerning health. The external environment in this case includes stakeholders in the health sector, regulations that govern the operations of the sector and the accrediting agencies among others. In the process of policymaking, the needs of the aged, the uninsured and the weak are taken care of during policy formulation. Those who have dealt with these groups of people must be given a chance to create policies that take care of such vulnerable groups. That is the reason why all decisions concerning accreditation of aged care homes should remain independent, left to a qualified group.
This will influence the policy since the contributors are the old or their representatives, information is also provided by the officials in the Department of Health and aged care and from an approved provider about the review and audit findings including remedying the faults identified. Through the provision of this kind of information, the policymakers will have the access to the real challenges faced by the aged since they will be receiving first hand information about what is expected of the policymaking. (APEC, 2007) the accreditation approach is useful in achieving change and quality improvements in health care organizations and to the affected population.
This is largely evident both in the individual services and departments such as growth of staff instruction programs and even involving the practice of individual clinician for example the application of standards for hand-washing for the sake of controlling the spread of an infection.
The policies and regulations regarding health are very clear and largely affect the process and outcome of policymaking. Even if the policy is of great benefit to the population but it is not in line with the laid out rules and regulations regarding human health, the policy will hardly be implemented because it would be considered non-ethical to have a policy that violates the right s of the population.
Stakeholders in the process of health policymaking, play a very important role as they influence the whole process. Such stakeholders include health organizations such as the World Health Organization. Decision-making takes place over a wide span of time and by different stakeholders in different departments during the whole process of policymaking. Such organizations are of use because of their diverse expertise in the fields that need to be tackled in policymaking. (WHO, 2009)
Conclusion
In conclusion, the issue of policymaking in health is dependent on other sectors to come up with policies that benefit the population.
References
Buxton M, Hanney S (1996) J Health Serv Res Policy ‘How can payback from health Research be assessed?’ 1:35-43. PubMed Abstract.
Easton D (1953.) The Political System. New York, Alfred A Knopf.
Hanney et al (2003) ‘The utilization of health research in policy-making: concepts, Examples and methods of assessment’. Web.
Institute for health economics and policies (2008) “Survey of the Health Policymaking Process in European countries and the United State”.
APEC (2007) Australian government department of health and ageing.
Standards and accreditation agency’s decisions (2008)’ An independent process’. Web.
Support to the Health Care Accreditation Agency (2007). Web.
How to make HIA work with policymaking and decision making (2008). Web.