Evaluation of Ethical and Policy Issues Affecting Nursing Home Care Coordination
Factors of Ethics and Policy
Introduction
Nursing home residents are among those who require the most care coordination. However, it has been reported that various ethical and policy issues are the primary factors influencing effective care coordination in nursing homes (Townsend et al., 2017). Even though most nursing home staff reported poor care coordination, little research has been conducted to determine the extent to which ethical and policy issues influence care coordination in nursing homes (Luther & Hart, 2014). The public has frequently raised concerns about the quality of care in nursing homes in the United States. It has been a problem for thirty years (Townsend et al., 2017). Various regulations, such as federal certification, remain, but poor quality problems persist. Patients in nursing homes are again subjected to a high level of abuse (Luther & Hart, 2014). As a result, ethical and policy considerations are among the primary reasons why care coordination in nursing homes in the United States remains a significant issue.
Health and safety policies implemented by the government
The quality of patient care for the elderly in nursing homes should not be a source of contention, but they do necessitate the highest level of medical care. The adoption and existence of the federal government controlling activities in nursing homes and implementing the Social Security Act policy have drastically reduced the level of care coordination provided (Bower, 2016). The Social Security Act and the Old Age Assistance Act facilitated the establishment of more nursing homes with little government assistance. Currently, Medicare policy has aided in the improvement of care quality (American Nurses Association, 2015). The new regulations and policies have significantly reduced the quality of care for the elderly. According to research, nurses who work in nursing homes are underpaid, providing little motivation to care for the elderly (American Nurses Association, 2015). Because most nursing homes are privately owned, there is no growth in the number of public nurses needed to work in nursing homes. Nonetheless, the government has implemented the Medicare policy to improve the quality of care (Bower, 2016). Nursing homes receive financial assistance under Medicare.
The impact of government policies on nursing home care coordination
Government policies significantly impact the quality of care in nursing homes. The latest Medicare policies take practitioners into account because they are the people who care for the elderly (Luther & Hart, 2014). This policy adopts the bundle payment method for practitioners’ compensation, allowing healthcare practitioners to coordinate care across nursing homes (Magelssen et al., 2018). The main factor considered to reduce or increase the quality of health in nursing homes is the payment of health care practitioners (Luther & Hart, 2014). The Medicare policy program, which is the current government policy in nursing homes, has allowed for the adoption of the bundled payment method, which has motivated caregivers (Magelssen et al., 2018). Nursing homes’ quality of care coordination has dramatically improved since the policy’s adoption and implementation.