Health Care Reform: A Case Study

While contemplating all of the possible opportunities to reform an aspect of healthcare with $1 million at hand, there are three major challenges the U.S. health care system is currently facing: lowering costs, improving access to care, and improving the quality of health care (Mason, Leavitt, & Chaffee, 2013). Although there may be many actions that could address these issues directly, what aspect of healthcare could possibly improve all of these areas that need reform? I believe looking deeper into the concepts and finding a common issue across the board that is creating a barrier to effective and necessary change is imperative.
Awareness of the need for change is one of the most important catalysts to bring about reform. On many occasions, I have been asked what I'm going back to college for and I always say, "for my master's degree to become a nurse practitioner (NP)"; their reply is most always, "but aren't you already a nurse?" Nearly every time I am asked this question, I have to explain what a nurse practitioner is, and go on to say that their provider might actually be a nurse practitioner and not a medical doctor like they had initially thought. Not only have I had to explain this to friends and family, but …show more content…
Just as someone with hyperglycemia, how would they know they need to change their diet, if they aren’t aware that their blood sugar levels are uncontrolled? If they become aware of the hyperglycemia, they may then improve their diet which would lead to greater control of blood sugar levels and overall better health. Therefore, if we are able to bring about awareness about the work of NPs, this act will open up opportunities to reduce barriers that are disabling NPs to practice to their full capacity. With full practice authority for NPs and effective nurse leaders, these professionals will be able to implement changes in quality improvement, healthcare access, and health