Introduction
Non-profit organizations seeking to provide support and care for vulnerable community members are quite numerous and guided by most noble intentions. However, to ensure that the quality of their support remains consistent, homogenous ethical guidelines and policies have been introduced by the state bodies. Although the Kiwanis Club as a service organization defines its strategy for providing services based on its own standards and practices, ethical and policy issues defined by the Indianapolis healthcare legal bodies allow streamlining and controlling coordination of care by producing and enacting the policies geared at safeguarding the needs of vulnerable groups.
Effect of Government Policies
The effects of government policies on the process of care coordination within the Kiwanis Club are quite evident when considering the core framework of the organization’s functioning. Specifically, these effects include the criteria for becoming a member of the club, namely, being of age and possessing the necessary set of skills (Kiwanis International Board, 2022). The specified impact of the state policies allows for the provision of care to remain professional and of high quality. In addition, the club’s discipline standards and health service provision standards are determined by the existing policies to a significant extent (Kiwanis International Board, 2022). Therefore, there is a direct connection between the state legal standards for coordination of care and the manner in which Kiwanis Club enacts its standards in the context of the target community by shaping their projects accordingly, specifically, by providing stewardship and support for community members.
Examples
Offering more concrete examples of the manner in which the Kiwanis Club ensures health and safety standards within the target community by aligning with the standards set by local state authorities, one should mention the focus on identifying crucial public health issues, providing the necessary education to community members, and offering services related to the health problems in question (Kiwanis International Board, 2022). For example, the recent COVID-19 initiative launched by the Kiwanis Club has created opportunities for ensuring active patient education for vulnerable community members, including aging people and people from marginalized backgrounds with insufficient access to resources (“Thank you, Kiwanis heroes,” 2022). The outlined course of action within the Kiwanis Club is defined largely by the policy of COVID-19 management issued and enacted recently by the Indiana state authorities (Indiana Department of Labor, 2022). Therefore, there is a direct link between the promotion of health and safety and the established health policies can be located.
Healthcare Standards (HIPAA)
Furthermore, the coordination of care that the Kiwanis Club provides is guided to a substantial extent by the standards established in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which defines high levels of accessibility to healthcare services for all citizens, including those with disabilities, those from economically challenging backgrounds, and others (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.). Therefore, there is an evident connection between the governmental policies and the coordination of care provided by the organization in question.
Effects on Different Levels
However, there are certain reasons to question the current approach to care coordination. The outlined concerns appear on the national, state, and local policy levels. For instance, the national framework for managing the coronavirus as it is established by the U.S. government offers legal and ethical standards that, while being usefully flexible, are quite vague (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, 2010). In turn, the state standards are more rigid, yet they lack the insight needed to address unique community needs, which implies that the quality of communication between the state representatives and local residents requires improvements (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, 2010). Finally, on the local level, the implementation of the COVID-19 policies in relation to the coordination of care lacks substance and efficacy due to problems with accessing the relevant services neglected on the state level due to the lack of evidence and information. Thus, improved communication and collaboration, as well as the representation of minority groups, is vital for the coordination of care as the process of increasing the efficacy and safety of healthcare services.
Issues of Concern
However, some of the policies regarding the management of the threats associated with the coronavirus and the associated concerns for vulnerable populations raise some questions as far as the functioning and coordination of care implemented by the Kiwanis Club is concerned. Specifically, the current ban regarding what is referred to as vaccine discrimination as an ethical concern on the statewide, nationwide, and local levels, including Indiana, suggests that the Kiwanis Club may be unable to provide the necessary services to the target community, implying a major breach of ethical standards in relation to beneficence and patient safety (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, 2010). Namely, the banning of what is deemed as vaccine discrimination may ultimately lead to the enhancement of COVID-19-related activity within the community and the resulting health deterioration among vulnerable community members. The specified outcome suggests major ethical concerns, specifically in relation to beneficence and nonmaleficence.
Evidence
Further research into the current status of Indianapolis’s public health as a direct effect of the Kiwanis Club practicing the set standards for care and care coordination practices indicates that certain concerns have emerged. Specifically, with the increase in the options for testing and vaccination opportunities, the process of tracking down the instances of COVID-19 cases and their development has become more complicated, according to a recent report (“Indiana COVID-19 home dashboard,” 2022). Thus, challenges in information management are to be addressed as a major policy concern and an ethical issue, particularly the failure to communicate the importance of proper data management as the process affecting patients’ well-being directly.
Code of Ethics and Its Significance
Finally, the code of ethics should be mentioned as the framework that affects the coordination and continuity of care within the target community as offered by Kiwanis Club. The current decisions, while being substantially flawed, can be defended by the existing code of care for nurses. Namely, the significance of patient advocacy and the provision of flexibility as the basis for patient autonomy and beneficence should be seen as the foundation for the current decision-making both within the state and within the Kiwanis Club.
Possible Solutions
In order to produce the required services and coordinate care with the appropriate level of proficiency, Kiwanis Club will require more effective policies in regard to the coordination of care. Namely, a more accurate set of guidelines tailored specifically to the needs of the target community will have to be provided. For this purpose, the organization will have to collaborate with local authorities in order to provide patient-related data that will inform the policies in question. Most importantly, community involvement and active patient education will be promoted to build a more effective communication channel.
Social Determinants of Health
Among the core social determinants shaping Kiwanis’ approach to the coordination of care, one should mention ethnicity and race, gender stereotypes, and cultural beliefs. Specifically, prejudices associated with or pertaining to the specified social determinants shape Kiwanis’ ability to approach its target audience and enact the prescribed policies.
Evidence
The core evidence regarding the necessity to enhance collaboration between the community, the Kiwanis Club, and local healthcare authorities is represented by the discrepancies in legal standards concerning the management of core health-related needs. Namely, there are indications that the importance of the community’s diversity is often neglected, which minimizes the efficacy of the relevant interventions (“Thank you, Kiwanis heroes”) 2022. Therefore, to enhance patient education and increase accessibility to testing opportunities and treatment options, the focus on collaboration between Kiwanis Club, the community, and state authorities will be needed.
Conclusion
Despite being known for its own policy for enacting its standards for care, the Kiwanis Club aligns with the principles set by the state legal authorities, which allows catering to all vulnerable populations’ needs. Therefore, while not interfering with the strategic approaches of the organization, the state coordinates the quality and consistency of care, as well as the Kiwanis Club’s alignment with core ethical standards. Overall, the current approach causes the provision of services offered by the organization to remain seamless and consistent. However, enhanced collaboration between the organization and the state authorities is recommended to maintain consistency in care coordination.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Web.
Indiana COVID-19 home dashboard. (2022). State Information Center. Web.
Indiana Department of Labor. (2022). Coronavirus (COVID-19). Web.
Kiwanis International Board. (2022). Kiwanis international policies and procedures. Web.
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. (2010). Web.
Thank you, Kiwanis heroes. (2022). Kiwanis.org. Web.