We live in a country with advanced medical treatments, state-of-the-art technology and world-renowned doctors. The problem is, not everyone can access this impressive level of care. Or sometimes, any care at all. We may live in a time where cars will soon be driver-less, but we’re still struggling with the issue that many people are health care-less.
So, what can we do to change things and ensure everyone has access to quality health care? Here are a few of today’s key barriers and some innovative solutions being considered.
The nursing shortage is causing problems. And inspiring solutions.
The health care industry is facing a nursing shortage and with it comes a staffing problem for hospitals and other medical facilities. It’s one problem that leads to a second: burnout among nurses. And it’s why more nurses are leaving the profession. What’s more, high patient-to-nurse ratios lead to errors, emergency room overcrowding and higher morbidity and mortality rates among patients.
But the news isn’t all bad. There are solutions being considered, such as incentivizing nursing students to choose jobs outside of major metropolitan areas; encouraging nurses age 55+ to continue working by offering them flexible and shorter shifts; and using mobile staffing apps to connect nurses to available shifts.
Rural America is short on physicians. But what about physician assistants?
The physician workforce is aging in rural America. As they retire, fewer younger physicians are choosing to practice in these areas. It’s a problem that presents serious health care access issues and exacerbates health needs.
When looking for solutions, the health care industry tends to focus on how to recruit more physicians to practice in rural communities. But to truly solve the rural access crisis, every possible solution needs to be considered. A solution such as physician assistants (PAs). A PA can perform physical examinations, diagnose illness and develop treatment strategies, order and interpret lab tests, counsel patients, and much more. Plus, it’s a profession that’s on the rise. With more than 131,000 PAs working in healthcare today, the PA profession is projected to increase 37% from 2016 to 2026.
Food insecurity effects millions. Can doctors be a part of the solution?
Roughly 40 million people throughout the country live in households with food insecurity. Innovative governmental assistance such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), along with food banks, food pantries, and food vouchers are available to assist individuals and families experiencing food insecurity. Although these various approaches are helpful, they lack strong connections to the health care providers involved in the care of the individuals being served.
But not for long. There are several recent approaches that have shown promise when it comes to helping those with food insecurity, like the Healthy Food Fund from the Harvard Pilgrim Foundation.