Baby-Boomers In Health Care Services Paper
Today, the emergence of the long-term care as the major priority for the development of health care services raises a number of issues. In this regard, financial issues are particularly important but the role of ethical issues is often underestimated. However, ethical issues also have a considerable impact on the further development of health care services. The major reason for the emergence of ethical issues, such as threats to clients’ privacy is the result of consistent technological changes and changes in health care policies conducted in the US, including the health care reform.Baby-Boomers In Health Care Services Paper
The current focus on long-run care is particularly significant for the development of effective privacy policies to protect the private information of consumers from information breaches and the unauthorized access of the third parties (Pratt, 1998). In this regard, the privacy of clients becomes the priority for health care providers. At this point, it is worth mentioning the fact that the development of electronic medical records contributes to the creation of electronic health history of each patient. Electronic medical records contain private information concerning health of patients. However, there is a risk of information breaches. In case of information breaches, the private information concerning clients’ health may be uncovered that may be harmful for clients (Chapter 18). Hence, the protection of consumers’ private information should become the priority for health care professionals. Otherwise, they will face not only ethical issue but also the legal one because clients’ privacy is legally protected. Nevertheless, the progress of technology contributes to the wider use of electronic medical record and other digital records, but, at the same time, new technologies open wider opportunities for the access to the private information of consumers.Baby-Boomers In Health Care Services Paper
The availability of health care services and their fair distribution between all clients is another ethical issue that emerges today. The problem is the lack of access to health care services leads to their unequal distribution between Americans. Some Americans have access to health care services of the high quality, whereas the poor have limited access to health care services (Senge, 1990). Moreover, some people living in America have virtually no access to health care services, as is the case of illegal immigrants, for example. In such a situation, health care professionals face the ethical dilemma: on the one hand, they have to provide health care services for all people, whereas, on the other hand, the existing health care system fails to provide the equal access to health care services for all Americans.
In this regard, the fair distribution of financial support, including the government-sponsored programs, for all Americans is another issue that the US health care system is dealing with. The financial support is not just the matter of funding but also it is the matter of equal access to health care services (MacNamara, 2008). In a long run, the lack of financial resources prevents Americans from the access to health care services and steadily leads to the deterioration of the quality of life. As a result, health care professionals have to deal with the unfair system, where funding determines the access of Americans to health care services.Baby-Boomers In Health Care Services Paper
Thus, today, health care professionals should come prepared to deal with the aforementioned ethical issues. These ethical issues affect the quality of life of Americans and their health care services in a long-run perspective.
References:
Chapter 18: Managing for the Future.
MacNamara, C. (2008). Complete Guides to Ethics Management: An Ethics Toolkit for Managers. Retrieved from www.managementhelp.org
Pratt, J. (1998). Back to School! Distance Learning Offers Alternatives for Administrators. Balance, 9-13.
Senge, P. (1990). The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization. New York: Currency Doubleday.Baby-Boomers In Health Care Services Paper