Population and Organizational Assessment, Coursework Example

Introduction

The continued growth of cardiovascular disease in the United States represents a significant challenge across many communities. Therefore, it is important to develop strategies to assess this risk in specific areas and to determine its impact over the long term. Veterans often face a greater risk of the disease as a result of poor nutrition and physical activity limitations, excess weight, and other impacts due to the effects of military service. Therefore, it is essential to develop a greater understanding of these influences and how they impact patient care and wellbeing within this population. The City of Baltimore offers an opportunity to explore these dimensions more fully and to demonstrate the impact of cardiovascular disease on the veterans within this community. The following discussion will address these objectives in greater detail and will consider the influence of the Veterans Administration Hospital in this process to determine influence and long-term impact.

Analysis

The City of Baltimore possesses a diverse population of over 621,000 residents, accompanied by a greater risk for cardiovascular risk within the community (US Census Bureau, 2012). It is important to recognize these challenges and to take the steps that are necessary to determine the precise level of risk to improve outcomes and demonstrate effective strategies to manage these concerns more effectively. City leaders have recognized the need for expanded attention and resources towards cardiovascular health and wellbeing in order to address the vast significance of this issue for the general population (Baltimore City Health Department, 2010). As a result, it becomes necessary to continue to develop strategies and approaches that will be effective in addressing outcomes and demonstrating short and long-term impact on this population group (Baltimore City Health Department, 2010).

The cultural impact of cardiovascular disease continues to grow and thrive in Baltimore due to the diverse nature of its population. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the challenges associated with managing cultural identities, needs, and expectations in a manner that is consistent with city-wide objectives and considerations for health promotion and disease prevention. There is a great opportunity to develop a set of resources and objectives that will address the needs of this community through new directives and assessments that capture the true nature of this population from a cultural diversity perspective. It is imperative to determine how to best approach these concerns and to take the steps that are necessary to develop new directives to manage cultural differences and expectations, using the Veterans Administration Hospital as a guide in this process.

The Baltimore VA Medical Center faces many of the same risks as other healthcare organizations due to the ever-increasing risk of cardiovascular disease and related outcomes. Therefore, it is important to recognize these risks and to take the steps that are necessary to approach these concerns with an effective understanding of the population which utilizes these services. The Veterans Administration group of hospitals has made cardiovascular disease a key priority in their short and long-term objectives and has sought to convey the importance of these principles in supporting the veterans who are served by these facilities (University of Maryland School of Medicine, 2013). In this context, it is important to recognize these facilities and to address the challenges that are associated with reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease within a culturally diverse population of veterans who require these services in a manner that is consistent with VA principles and philosophies.

Based upon information obtained during an interview with a VA hospital administrator, it is important to address the impact of cultural awareness and competence on the delivery of healthcare to the veterans of Baltimore. In general, the Veterans Administration is based upon a model of evidence-based practice to obtain critical data to provide patient-centered care and treatment to its patient population (Fuller and Red, 2013). The VA system is driven by a team-based approach that utilizes information in a manner that is consistent with the needs of local veterans, including the necessity to improve the response to cardiovascular health and disease (Fuller and Red, 2013). Based upon this model, veterans’ needs are a key priority and are addressed through the opportunities available with patient-centered care, including the importance of family and friends in this practice (Fuller and Red, 2013). Cultural diversity within the VA community is not unique; therefore, it is necessary for clinical and administrative personnel to provide effective care and treatment to their patients in order to accomplish the desired objectives through cultural identity and recognition (Fuller and Red, 2013).

Cultural competence is critical to the delivery of care and treatment within the Veterans Administration community. Therefore, it is important and necessary to develop new directives and strategies to improve outcomes for this population by using proven techniques and the identification of existing problems or concerns. The culture that exists within the Veterans community represents a necessity to address the following: “Veteran culture includes health inequalities and health disparities related to posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and substance abuse that must be understood in context to provide the best care possible to this population. Veterans are not, however, frequently viewed in terms of culturally competent nursing care. Changes in the approach to this population are necessary to provide effective, comprehensive, and compassionate care” (Hobbs, 2008, p. 337). Therefore, this practice must include the development of new directives that will consider the needs of veterans from diverse communities and how nurses and other healthcare providers might improve quality of care and treatment in this manner (Hobbs, 2008).

The National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services Standards in Health and Healthcare were established by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health as a means of improving the delivery of care and treatment to patients from diverse cultures, including those with language and other barriers (Office of Minority Health, 2013). These guidelines demonstrate that there is an important need to address the challenges and considerations of culturally competent healthcare at all levels due to the diverse nature of populations, including veterans (Office of Minority Health, 2013). These findings suggest that there are significant factors associated with the creation of new objectives to address the needs of this population through engagement, awareness, training, and knowledge acquisition, as well as the ability to improve on a continuous basis and to be accountable for the actions that are taken (Office of Minority Health, 2013). Veterans in Baltimore possess specific needs and must be provided with the level of care and treatment that is necessary to address these concerns effectively (Office of Minority Health, 2013). A lack of recognition of these needs and key principles is not an effective utilization of resources and therefore, additional considerations are necessary in this manner (Office of Minority Health, 2013).

As a member of the Veterans Administration family, the interviewee addressed the importance of communication and connecting to veteran patients at the cultural level. She recognized the need for culturally sensitive strategies that consider these challenges because they require significant attention and consideration to improve veteran patient outcomes. The interviewee also considered the importance of new directives to address the improvement of culturally competent care and its influence on patients with the Veterans Administration system because there are significant opportunities for growth and development within this population that have yet to be considered. These findings suggest that it is necessary to identify new challenges and opportunities to provide this patient population with a modicum of care and treatment that is consistent with the basic principles of high quality care and treatment, regardless of culture or language spoken. These considerations are critical to the wellbeing of this patient population over the long term.

Veterans in Baltimore and in other areas require a level of care and treatment that goes above and beyond minimum standards. The interviewee emphasized the importance of overcoming barriers and challenges to the provision of care and treatment to this population due to stigma, stereotypes, and other related concerns. Therefore, she recognizes the greater potential that exists to develop new strategies and approaches to care and treatment that are consistent with the basic objectives of care and treatment for all patients, regardless of culture. Cultural competence is critical to address the challenges and concerns of veterans, given that they possess unique issues that are not likely to be experienced in a routine environment, such as post traumatic stress disorder and debilitating injuries. Therefore, these individuals require an astute and culturally responsible level of care and treatment at all times.

Prior evidence suggests that there are significant concerns within the veteran community in regards to healthcare that continue to prevail, noted as follows: “Diminished military medical resources² have resulted in an increased reliance on civilian providers with a diverse and sometimes inadequate understanding of military culture. And although cultural competency is so critical to clinical care that it is a mandatory component of any medical school’s curriculum, medical students and residents are infrequently educated on the impact that military culture and service have on care” (Meyer, 2012, p. 3). In this context, it is important and necessary to develop new directives and strategies that will better meet the needs of veterans who face cultural challenges of their own right, along with other concerns that require the attention of healthcare providers (Meyer, 2012). In this manner, it is important to identify these challenges and to address the concerns associated with the delivery of healthcare that is both culturally competent and effective at all times (Meyer, 2012).

The delivery of care and treatment to the veterans of Baltimore requires an effective understanding of this population and the specific needs of this community. With respect to cardiovascular health, there are considerable opportunities in place to develop approaches that emphasize culturally competent care and treatment in a manner that is consistent with national standards, as well as other factors that are necessary to the success of treatment objectives for veterans. Since this population possesses its own unique concerns, it becomes necessary to address these concerns with grace, dignity, respect, and mutual understanding at all times, including the provision of culturally competent care and treatment. Veterans come from a wide variety of cultures and population groups and therefore, must be provided with the tools that are necessary to address these concerns to achieve an improved quality of life.

There are considerable opportunities in place to develop new ideas and strategies to accommodate the needs of veterans from diverse cultures. These directives must demonstrate effective knowledge and understanding of this population and its specific needs, along with the development of training tools that will accomplish these objectives in a successful manner. One of the key factors to consider with veterans is behavioral interventions due to the nature of their past and current experiences as members of the military (Vanguard Communications, 2011). Within this context, there have been considerable opportunities in place to expand training and knowledge in order to provide effective delivery of care and treatment to veterans in the desired manner (Vanguard Communications, 2013). These efforts have demonstrated the necessity to allow veterans with a variety of health concerns to obtain the level of care and treatment that is necessary to support these objectives, including culturally competent care for patients who face a greater risk of cardiovascular disease (Vanguard Communications, 2013).

The interviewee noted that there is a significant behavioral component of culturally competent care, due in large part for the need to address post traumatic stress and other factors that impact the veteran community. Therefore, it is important to identify some of these considerations and to take the steps that are necessary to support successful outcomes for this population group. At the same time, due to the ever-increasing nature and risk of cardiovascular disease, veterans must be provided with a level of care and treatment that will enable them to obtain the level of care and treatment that is necessary to meet their needs. There are significant opportunities within the Veterans Administration system to incorporate culturally competent objectives into existing training programs so that employees are fully aware of the necessity for these programs and the challenges that they face in their efforts to reintegrate into society and to achieve a routine.

When cardiovascular disease is a critical issue, it is important to develop directives that will work to accomplish successful outcomes for these patients in an effective manner. It is important to recognize these objectives and to take the steps that are necessary to preserve cardiovascular health for the veterans residing in Baltimore who possess these concerns. Their needs must be take precedence in an environment where cultural awareness and sensitivity are prominent because these objectives play a significant role in shaping outcomes for this population group over the long term. With the level and type of diversity that exists within the Baltimore community, it is imperative that local residents who are veteran s receive excellence in care and treatment at the Baltimore Veterans Administration hospital through an exercise in evidence-based practice and treatment that is directed at these concerns.

Conclusion

Culturally competent care is an essential component of the practice of high-quality health care and treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to address the challenges associated with this practice and its impact on patients. Veterans who are patients of the Veterans Administration group of hospitals possess unique challenges of their own that require significant attention and focus. Therefore, it is important and necessary to identify disparities in culturally competent care and treatment and to develop strategies to overcome these obstacles through new directives and considerations to accomplish these tasks. Veterans require a significant level of attention due to their histories; therefore, they must be provided with care that not only promotes cultural awareness, but also sensitivity to their specific past experiences. These efforts are critical in developing new objectives for the improvement of cardiovascular health over the long term. With a focus on Baltimore, there must be a continuous effort in place to accomplish these directives through the development and improvement of educational and training strategies that will accommodate veterans in a manner that is not only realistic but is also consistent with their specific needs within their smaller neighborhoods or communities. These efforts must be utilized in a manner that is consistent with the type and level of diversity that exists within the Baltimore community in order to shape outcomes in a successful manner, particularly in the area of cardiovascular health and disease management. These efforts will demonstrate that there are significant opportunities for growth in providing culturally competent care and treatment to veterans within this community that is not prejudiced and that offers a level of excellence that cannot be surpassed.

References

Baltimore City Health Department (2009). Agenda to reduce cardiovascular disease disparities in Baltimore City. Retrieved from http://www.baltimorehealth.org/info/Keep%20the%20Beat%20-%20Baltimore%27s%20Cardiovascular%20Disease%20Agenda.pdf

Fuller, J., and Red, L. (2013). Cultural diversity and competency considerations for health care. Retrieved from http://www.diversity.va.gov/training/files/cultural-competency.ppt

Hobbs, K. (2008). Reflections on the culture of veterans. Journal of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, 56(8), 337-341.

Meyer, E. (2012). Developing military cultural competency in health care providers. Academic Medicine, 87(1), 3. Office of Minority Health (2013). The national CLAS standards. Retrieved from http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/templates/browse.aspx?lvl=2&lvlID=15

University of Maryland School of Medicine (2013). Baltimore VA Medical Center. Retrieved from https://umem.org/page/hospitals/vamc

United States Census Bureau (2012). Baltimore city, Maryland. Retrieved from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/24/24510.html