Student Name
Capella University
NHS-FPX 6004 Health Care Law and Policy
Prof. Name
Date
Policy Proposal
Access to care is vital for effective healthcare delivery, especially for managing chronic conditions that require regular monitoring. At St. Vincent Health, dashboard metrics have revealed significant challenges in patient access, including long wait times for appointments and limited services availability. To address these barriers, this assessment will describe the proposed telehealth policy that aims to enhance patients’ access to healthcare services, particularly those in rural and underserved communities.
Need for Creating a Policy
According to AHRQ data, 23.2% of Medicaid patients in Colorado report that they sometimes or never receive timely access to routine healthcare appointments, a significant increase from 21.2% in 2010 (AHRQ, n.d.). This rise indicates systemic barriers that must be addressed to ensure equitable healthcare access. St. Vincent Health’s outpatient visits totaled only 9,109 in 2022, starkly contrasting with the Colorado average of 126,493 and the national average of 151,053 (AHA, 2024). This underperformance is directly tied to access issues, including geographic barriers, transportation challenges, and a lack of available services.
The underperformance in outpatient visits has far-reaching implications for patient outcomes and the healthcare system as a whole. Delays in receiving care can exacerbate health conditions, leading to increased emergency department visits and higher healthcare costs (Chang et al., 2021). For St. Vincent Health, failing to meet AHRQ benchmarks can result in financial penalties, decreased patient satisfaction, and a tarnished reputation. Given the rising percentage of Medicaid patients experiencing delays in accessing care, St. Vincent Health must create comprehensive policy and practice guidelines aimed at improving access. The implementation of permanent telehealth services aligns with both federal and state regulations, such as the Telehealth Modernization Act and the Colorado Telehealth Act.
These policies would eliminate geographic restrictions and facilitate access for underserved populations, directly addressing the structural barriers contributing to the low outpatient visit numbers (Gajarawala & Pelkowski, 2021). Engaging stakeholders—including healthcare providers, community organizations, and local government—is essential for successful policy implementation. Advocacy for ethical and sustainable practices will promote justice in healthcare distribution and beneficence in patient care, ensuring that vulnerable populations receive the timely services they need.
Summarized Proposed Policy
The proposed organizational policy at St. Vincent Health involves implementing permanent telehealth coverage to enhance patient access to healthcare services, particularly for underserved populations. This policy aims to reduce geographic and logistical barriers by providing virtual care options, ensuring that patients can receive timely consultations. The accompanying practice guidelines include defining eligibility criteria for telehealth services, specifying the types of consultations available, ensuring reliable technology platforms, aligning billing practices with federal and state regulations, and developing educational resources for patients on how to utilize telehealth effectively.
However, several environmental factors could significantly impact the success of these guidelines. For example, if the regulatory environment shifts toward stricter telehealth laws, this could limit the scope of services offered, directly affecting patient access and reducing the policy’s effectiveness. Similarly, inadequate internet connectivity in rural areas can lead to frustration among patients, which may result in lower adoption rates of telehealth services (Zobair et al., 2020).
In this case, poor connectivity directly causes a barrier to participation, undermining the intended benefits of the policy. Additionally, variations in technology literacy among different patient demographics can create disparities in access to telehealth. If certain groups struggle to navigate telehealth platforms, this may lead to unequal care opportunities, ultimately negating the policy’s goal of improving equity. Furthermore, if healthcare providers resist adopting telehealth practices due to a lack of training or skepticism about its efficacy, this could hinder successful implementation and diminish patient outcomes (Kautish et al., 2023).
Ethical, Evidence-Based Practice Guidelines
In order to rectify the lack of sufficient access to care in St. Vincent Health, it is important to promote ethical and empirical service policies directed at key constituencies of the health care system. The provision of sustained telehealth cover together with strong outreach efforts will therefore ensure that patients can easily access all routine as well as specialized services. Some of these undertakings are based on the principles of justice, where the distribution of the healthcare plans is fair, and others based on the principle of beneficence, where the interventions are done in a timely manner to benefit the patients (Chang et al., 2021).
It also means improving community relations involving such important considerations as targeted population and including low-income citizens and people with limited access to transportation. Some of the strategies may be: hosting of fairs such as community health fairs, conducting of information-sharing sessions such as workshops, and social marketing which involves formation of links among organizations within the community that are offering services. Furthermore, the establishment of effective telehealth standard operating procedures guarantees universal provisioning of telehealth devices and ensuring that patients in need of Virtual Health Training receive such training including treatment for patients who may or may not understand different languages.
Sharing and involving the healthcare providers’ key stakeholders such as community organization, the officials of the local government will assist in the proper identification of the barriers towards improvement of the care hence a better way towards improving the accomplishment of such initiatives as more as it will able to come up with the solutions that can best favor the community. Applying the data collection and monitoring process for tracking telehealth utilization rate and patient outcomes will enhance the standard and constantly upgrade the services (Kautish et al., 2023).
NHS FPX 6004 Assessment 2 Policy Proposal
When following the above mentioned ethical standards, St. Vincent Health has an opportunity of developing a conducive healthcare environment for all. It among other things will increase more patients chances to access timely heed and thus better health and satisfaction. Overall, healthcare providers will achieve less clutter and faster patient turnarounds which will aid in generating a more professionalism in the setting. The local community groups will therefore deepen the relationships in the community and, hence, gain a wider level of confidence across communities while the local government authorities will contribute to these formations through policy lobbying and resource mobilization to enhance access to care.
These recommendations are justified by evidence demonstrating that outreach programs and enhanced telehealth services effectively increase healthcare access and equity. Studies indicate that addressing social determinants of health, such as transportation and income, directly improves patient engagement and outcomes (Whitman et al., 2022). By implementing these ethical and evidence-based practice guidelines, St. Vincent Health can expect significant improvements in access to care, aligning with its mission to provide equitable healthcare to all patients. Ultimately, advocating for these practices not only addresses current access challenges but also promotes a healthier, more equitable community, fulfilling St. Vincent Health’s commitment to justice and beneficence while enhancing overall community health outcomes.
Stakeholder Engagement
The proposed policy for permanent telehealth coverage at St. Vincent Health will only be successful if key stakeholders, including healthcare providers, community organizations, local government officials, and patients, actively engage. Involving these groups is essential for several reasons. First, healthcare providers are on the front lines of patient care and possess valuable insights into their patients’ challenges and needs. Their involvement in developing practice guidelines ensures that the policy is practical and aligned with clinical realities. By collaborating with providers, the organization can build a culture of ownership and commitment, ultimately enhancing the quality of care delivered through telehealth.
Community organizations play a crucial role in reaching underserved populations. Their established relationships and trust within the community enable them to effectively communicate the benefits of telehealth services and address any concerns or barriers to access (Schofield, 2021). Thus, engaging these organizations can expand St. Vincent Health’s networks, raise the awareness of telehealth services, and enhance the utilization of the services due to existing working relationships and trust. The local government officials are also relevant in championing change on the health policy front for the implementation of healthcare strategies. It means that their participation can enhance resources and financial support that help build telehealth support.
NHS FPX 6004 Assessment 2 Policy Proposal
However, they are also in a position to alleviate systematic problems like transport and broadband connectivity, which are components that can make or mar telehealth processes. Through engaging these stakeholders, St. Vincent Health is able to involve other policies that erase some barriers in the delivery of healthcare, which can complement the telehealth programs. Last but not least, patients involved in developing practice guidelines would lead to patient consideration with the latter’s opinion being considered. Being sensitive to the patient’s needs informs the development of services that are easy to use and meet the patient’s requirements. This involvement not only allowed patients but has also been found to increase satisfaction and improve health (Schofield, 2021).
Strategies to Collaborate with Stakeholders Group
To effectively implement the proposed policy for permanent telehealth coverage at St. Vincent Health, establishing a Stakeholder Advisory Committee and conducting joint workshops are essential strategies. The Advisory Committee, comprising representatives from healthcare providers, community organizations, local government officials, and patients, will facilitate ongoing dialogue to integrate diverse perspectives and build trust among stakeholders (Schmidt et al., 2020). In parallel, joint workshops will be aimed to deliver and exchange information and experiences for the stakeholders involved, as well as to receive feedback on telehealth services. Collectively, the above strategies will increase stakeholder buy-in and consequently facilitate effective telehealth adoption and increased patient access to care (Schmidt et al., 2020).
Ensuring a permanent telehealth coverage within St. Vincent Health requires stakeholder engagement as a basic principle of practice. The policy includes all the relevant stakeholders as a way of making sure that the community benefit is holistic because people such as healthcare providers, community organizations, local government, and patients differently to healthcare issues. Cooperation creates a culture of stewardship which is a critical factor on getting the people on the side of the project. This means that when stakeholders are considered, they are able to share their knowledge, ideas and opinions hence coming up with better policies that meet there needs thus the efficiency of the policy (Schmidt et al., 2020).
NHS FPX 6004 Assessment 2 Policy Proposal
However, it is vital to look at the possible criticism that people will level against the whole process. For instance, some of the healthcare providers may feel more concerned about the standards of care delivered through telehealth communication then face to face communication. In response, efforts should be made to underline that telehealth is intended to augment face-to-face care, rather than replace it, and training should focus on the ways in which communication technologies are best utilized. Community organizations may have issues with equitable access to technology in disadvantaged communities. That must be done through coherent strategies for community engagement and services, including access to technologies and technology literacy. To build and improve the probability of successful telehealth utilization, it is required to openly discuss these concerns and show commitment of St. Vincent Health towards their resolution (Kautish et al., 2023).
Conclusion
Thus, expanding permanent telehealth service at St. Vincent Health is a right move towards effective healthcare delivery for timid populations. Therefore, when stakeholders are involved, cooperation is promoted and possible negative implications addressed, the policy has an opportunity to improve patient status and equity in healthcare. The principles of ethical, evidence-based practice, promoting and advancing patient care will guarantee that all patients are treated timely and appropriately. Lastly, this initiative facilitates the goals of St. Vincent Health and addresses the health disparity for individuals receiving adequate and suitable treatment.
References
AHA. (2024). St. Vincent Health. Aha.org. https://guide.prod.iam.aha.org/guide/hospitalProfile/6840760
AHRQ. (n.d.). NHQDR data tools – national healthcare quality and disparities reports (NHQDR). https://datatools.ahrq.gov/nhqdr/?tab=national&dash=282
Chang, J. E., Lai, A. Y., Gupta, A., Nguyen, A. M., Berry, C. A., & Shelley, D. R. (2021). Rapid transition to telehealth and the digital divide: Implications for primary care access and equity in a post‐covid era. The Milbank Quarterly, 99(2), 340–368. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-0009.12509
NHS FPX 6004 Assessment 2 Policy Proposal
Kautish, P., Siddiqui, M., Siddiqui, A., Sharma, V., & Alshibani, S. M. (2023). Technology-enabled cure and care: An application of innovation resistance theory to telemedicine apps in an emerging market context. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 192, 122558. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2023.122558
Gajarawala, S., & Pelkowski, J. (2021). Telehealth benefits and barriers. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 17(2), 218–221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2020.09.013
Schmidt, L., Falk, T., Siegmund-Schultze, M., & Spangenberg, J. H. (2020). The objectives of stakeholder involvement in transdisciplinary research. A conceptual framework for a reflective and reflexive practise. Ecological Economics, 176(1), 106751. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2020.106751
Schofield, M. (2021). Regulatory and legislative issues on telehealth. Nutrition in Clinical Practice, 36(4). https://doi.org/10.1002/ncp.10740
NHS FPX 6004 Assessment 2 Policy Proposal
Whitman, A., De Lew, N., Chappel, A., Aysola, V., Zuckerman, R., & Sommers, B. (2022). Addressing social determinants of health: Examples of successful evidence-based strategies and current federal efforts. https://www.aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/e2b650cd64cf84aae8ff0fae7474af82/SDOH-Evidence-Review.pdf
Zobair, K. M., Sanzogni, L., & Sandhu, K. (2020). Telemedicine healthcare service adoption barriers in rural Bangladesh. Australasian Journal of Information Systems, 24. https://doi.org/10.3127/ajis.v24i0.2165