Perspective on Health Care

In chapter 1 of the text book I found that there have been historical changes that have affected me and my experience as a health care provider. For one, my knowledge of certain diseases and syndromes like Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) has changed my thinking and how treating a patient with this condition appropriately. According to "Basic Information About Hiv And Aids" (2011), “Both types of HIV damage a person’s body by destroying specific blood cells, called CD4+T cells, which are crucial to helping the body fight diseases.” With this knowledge and knowing this information I still use appropriate universal precautions when necessary. But I do wear a mask into a patient’s room that I am aware has this syndrome if I am having cold or flu like symptoms. My body is able to fight off infections but there body is not. Another change that has affected me with my present job is “The most important factor in the decline in mortality during the twentieth century was essential hygiene, supported by home and workplace improvements and attempts to improve the environment. Better hygiene accounts for approximately one-fifth of the reduction in mortality.” (Stanfield, Cross, & Hui, 2009, p. Chapter 1 Page 4) Hand washing and using universal precautions appropriately is required in a hospital setting due to all the different diseases we come into contact with. The health care reform under the Obama administration will be helping all Americans with and without healthcare insurance. It will also help businesses and the economy. It has affected me as a future Physician Assistant because “These measures will encourage providers to deliver higher quality care by creating payment structures that promote value. Taken together, the cost saving strategies in the law will make our health care system more efficient. Overall, the law reduces the deficit by over $100 billion this decade and by over $1 trillion in the next decade ("Relief For Americans And Businesses", n.d.).” I agree that once these changes are made and are in place people will feel more comfortable about going to the hospital or to see their primary care physicians rather than hesitant. Also people who need follow up care will go to their appointments. Their quality of life will become better and morbidity and mortality rates will decrease because people are now being treated for their conditions and injuries. I am not surprised about positive and negative health outcomes are linked to demographic indicators. Because we only have one children’s hospital in the area that I reside we tend to see a large amount of minorities, unemployed, poor, and lone parents besides everything else. We deal with a lot of angry uneducated parents that cannot even spell their own child’s name or know their date of birth or we deal with parents that know a lot about the medical field and certain medical conditions. There are so many resources to find information on the history of health care in the United States. As a patient looking for information on health care, I would look online. There is an abundance of information online for health care. There is also Social Services, Physicians, and libraries that have information on health care.

Reference Basic Information about HIV and AIDS. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/basic/index.htm Stanfield, P.S., Cross, N., & Hui, Y.H. (2009). Introduction to the health Professions (5th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database.
The PA Profession. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.aapa.org/the_pa_profession.aspx
Relief for Americans and Businesses. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.whitehouse.gov/healthreform/relief-for-americans-and-businesses#healthcare-menu