Policy Advocacy In Healthcare

Advocacy has been long-established as a necessary obligation for each healthcare institution and professional to implement in daily practice in order to be successful. In recent years, the topic has gained much attention, with many claiming it as a professional imperative for each facility. As one author notes, “if we are to adopt a practice grounded in inclusiveness that promotes universal access and equity as a mode of thinking, a therapeutic tool, and an ethical responsibility, then advocacy must be a professional imperative” (Kirsh, 2015, p. 216), alluding the profound role of advocacy in both clinical care and healthcare administration. However, the term is ambiguous to all applications it serves for: law, politics, social work, day-to-day …show more content…
Such rules, regulations ,and guidelines foster the growth of numerous conflicts that arise throughout healthcare regarding paternalism and the push for patient-centered care. Policy advocacy, a close cousin of cause advocacy, acts to resolve such hurdles of the industry. Policy advocacy is executed “to help healthcare professionals change dysfunctional policies in their institutions, communities, and the broader society” (Jansson, 2011, p. 3). The intervention serves as a voice through which healthcare professionals and other such individuals can encourage the abolishment of “policies that hinder patient well-being and promote those that enhance patient well-being” (Jansson, Nyamathi, Heidemann, Duan, & Kaplan, 2015, p.3). Policy advocacy “has positive effects on clients and institutions through improving the quality of care provided to patients, increasing patient satisfaction, cutting unnecessary costs and increasing the extent through which patient-centered care is offered” (Jansson et al., 2015, p. 4). Policy advocacy aims to target and resolve a myriad of issues throughout healthcare regarding substandard services being offered, unaffordable care, ethical dilemmas, the failure to provide patient-centered care and to address the patient’s full desires, concerns, and the tribulations of being a patient. In addition to …show more content…
Therefore, advocacy is the integral driving force behind every noteworthy change in healthcare. Advocacy potently and unfailingly fights for a greater healthcare world desired by society and is successful at each attempt. It is ubiquitous, and has its presence and voice heard at all times. It is invaluable to healthcare and all of medicine. Finally, the true value of healthcare advocacy is now clear and right in front of us: Advocacy supplies the necessary support, leadership, eloquence and inputs (from both civilians and healthcare professionals) required to satisfy each patient 's needs; provide quality, ethical care in psychologically and physically safe healthcare environments; and to further advance the healthcare industry step-by-step. Without advocacy, “there is no delivery of ethical care” (Lindahl & Sandman, 1998, p. 180) and the quality of the care offered - and the environment in which it is given - will be inferior compared to modern expectations. Hence, advocacy is a truly wicked phenomenon that is important as ever in the world of