Photo by Zach Vessels on Unsplash
Services
- What public health services are available in our community? How are they being used? Who is receiving services?
- Do children have access to medical homes, transition services, permanency planning, family-centered care, care coordination, and early intervention/screening/prevention?
- Does our community have “safety-net clinics” to help population without resources?
- Does our community have an adequate number of primary care physicians? Are all community members linked to primary care physicians and/or medical homes?
- Does our community have the ability to expand public health services to address and manage disease outbreaks (e.g., flu, tuberculosis, ebola)?
- How is our community funded for new initiatives in healthcare?
Does our community have programs/services for:
- Prevention of communicable disease
- Prevention and awareness education
- School to increase awareness and monitor health
- Affordable care
- Community clinics
Does the healthcare provided in the community pay attention to the whole person?
- Physical
- Psycho-social
- Emotional
- Spiritual
- Families and caregivers
- Supports and resources
Does the healthcare system provide health promotion and prevention opportunities/programs that address such issues as:
- Physical activity and fitness
- Healthy eating, healthy food
- Well-being—emotional and physical
- Opportunities for volunteers; for exchanges or time banks
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
- End extreme poverty, including hunger.
- Achieve health and wellbeing at all ages.
“The World We Want 2015” Priorities
- Better healthcare
- A good education
Access
Does everyone in the community have access to affordable, quality healthcare?
- Veterans
- Children
- Pregnant Women
- Youth
- Seniors
- Homeless
- Immigrants and migrants (specific populations in your community)
- Disabled—physical and mental/emotional and behavioral disabilities
- People who are “different” from the majority—related to socioeconomic issues, ethnic background, culture, educational background, sexual orientation
Does our community have outreach to help community members find and access healthcare?
(In the US): Does our state have federally funded (Medicaid) or does it need to expand Medicaid?
Is healthcare a right for all members of our community, or is it more of a business?
Do people in our community have access to affordable and nutritious food? Are there programs to educate people about nutrition and its importance to good health?
Are there programs or services to help negotiate healthcare for patients whose relatives live at some distance?
How can family members, whether local or distant, best advocate for patients? Are there programs or agencies in place that distant relatives may access?
Are there health promotion/prevention opportunities and resources available, accessible, and affordable to all?
Accountability
Does our community have quality care for its members? How does it:
- Monitor quality
- Measure quality
- Provide/create programs for quality healthcare
- Communicate about health issues, programs, other information
How does our community ensure that interactions with hired healthcare agency providers are authentic and accurate? Are there monitoring agencies and remedial procedures in place?
Do we have effective processes in place to deal with overt conflict between providers and members of the healthcare system? Are there alternatives to legal action such as conflict resolution agents?
Education and Planning
- Do the healthcare providers offer education/training in healthcare at all levels, and/or know where its members can receive such training? Does the education/training include inter-professional education and team work?
- Do the healthcare providers engage patients, families, and caregivers in assessing, planning, developing, and providing services?
- How does the healthcare community determine stakeholders? How does it work with them?
- Is there an evaluation process in place that is fair and available? Who monitors the system?
Cultural Awareness
- What barriers exist in healthcare for immigrants and migrants? Is there outreach to inform patients from these groups of their healthcare options?
- Are healthcare personnel aware of cultural differences that might affect compassionate treatment of patients? Do health care personnel receive training in cultural sensitivity and understanding?
- Are patients able to communicate with healthcare providers in their own language(s)? Are translation pools and plans in place?
Compassion in Healthcare
- Does the healthcare community focus on values—specifically on compassion? Are members of the community involved/engaged in promoting and enhancing compassion in healthcare?
- What resources are committed to educating/training healthcare personnel in compassionate care and in preventing burnout or “compassion fatigue”?
- Does the community involve all stakeholders (including patients/families/caregivers, practitioners/clinicians, payers/insurance companies) in making compassion a foundation for healthcare in the community?
- What do the community’s compassion-enhanced services look like? What actions, services, programs, ideas have been implemented? What have we learned? Is a plan for periodic evaluation in place?
- How can family members build compassionate relationships with healthcare workers?
- Does our community participate in an exchange of services or have volunteers in support of compassion?
- Are there programs and training opportunities to motivate people (staff, patients and community) to be more compassionate?
