Principles of Health Economics, Coursework Example

Introduction

Multiculturalism represents an opportunity to address the challenges associated with economic stability within the healthcare industry. Many areas of healthcare practice face are limited by cultural diversity and the inability to provide equal quality of care and treatment to all persons. Therefore, these concerns must be addressed as a means of establishing greater support for economic growth in the wake of cultural diversity and individualism within the healthcare sector. It is imperative that clinical professionals utilize their skills and expertise in a manner that will support positive healthcare outcomes for all patients, regardless of their culture. This is best accomplished through the understanding of the true economic impact of multiculturalism on healthcare practice. The following discussion will address these concerns in greater detail and will consider the primary factors associated with economic disparities in healthcare that are associated with cultural diversity.

Analysis

Disparities in healthcare practice are typically driven by cultural differences and socioeconomic factors (Le Cook et.al, 2012). In this context, there are considerable limitations that prevent all persons from obtaining equal access and similar quality of care and treatment (Le Cook et.al, 2012). As a result, many disparities are difficult to overcome and lead to significant concerns associated with poor health outcomes across many population groups (Le Cook et.al, 2012). It is important to identify areas where data analysis might be relevant in order to ensure that patient care and treatment across all cultures is not compromised (Le Cook et.al, 2012). However, lack of health insurance, limited access to services in some communities, poor quality of care, and limited staffing are some of the key factors associated with increased disparities across many cultures with respect to healthcare practice (Le Cook et.al, 2012). It is essential to develop new directives that will be effective in expanding outcomes for these populations and that remove some of the disparities that currently exist in achieving greater quality of life and long-term health outcomes (Le Cook et.al, 2012).

Another important area of consideration to reduce health disparities is adequate training for healthcare professionals so that they possess the ability to be effective in providing optimal care and treatment to all patients, regardless of culture (Eaton et.al, 2011). In this capacity, nurses and other healthcare providers must explore new forms of knowledge and recognize the differences that make each culture unique so that they are effectively prepared to treat patients across all population groups in consideration of their customs, practices, beliefs, and values (Eaton et.al, 2011). These efforts are instrumental in supporting the development of new practice methods and initiatives that will positively impact patient care and treatment across all communities (Eaton et.al, 2011). Therefore, a global approach to teaching and education will provide clinical professionals with a well-rounded knowledge base and the type of support that is necessary to have a positive impact on the care and treatment of patients across many different cultures (Eaton et.al, 2011).

The ability of healthcare systems to develop cultural competence requires a shift in organizational culture and thought processes in regards to patient care and treatment across all cultures (Weech-Maldonado et.al, 2012). From this perspective, it is of critical importance to develop strategies that will positively impact all patients through expanded education, knowledge, and acceptance of different cultures and how these impact patient care over the long term (Weech-Maldonado et.al, 2012). In order to accomplish these goals, data analyses are required to determine how to improve practice methodologies and perspectives regarding patient care and treatment across different cultures (Weech-Maldonado et.al, 2012). This is best accomplished through the development of approaches that will have a positive impact on attitudes and perspectives so that patient care is not compromised in the process (Weech-Maldonado et.al, 2012).

Finally, the ability to recognize and embrace multiculturalism within the healthcare sector is a critical tool in the recognition of cultural diversity and acceptance from a socioeconomic perspective (Hyer, 2013). With this in mind, it is imperative that healthcare organizations tap into their available resources as a means of supporting patient care and treatment outcomes for all patients in a positive manner (Hyer, 2013). Due to the ever-increasing shift in population groups, minority cultures continue to grow, thereby requiring significant support to promote favorable healthcare treatment strategies and improved quality of life (Hyer, 2013). These efforts are essential to the development of new perspectives that will recognize the value of multiculturalism within organization and the ability to adapt healthcare practices effectively to support a variety of circumstances across communities (Hyer, 2013). These efforts also demonstrate the critical nature of healthcare practices in supporting diversity across all population groups (Hyer, 2013).

Conclusion

Establishing acceptable and appropriate healthcare practices that support multiculturalism is a challenging process. It is often the case that many individuals find it difficult to be successful in their efforts to embrace patient populations from different cultures and to recognize the importance of equal opportunity care and treatment for all patients. It is necessary to address these challenges and to take the steps that are necessary to facilitate positive outcomes and to reflect upon the areas where healthcare disparities exist in order to reduce these limitations and to improve healthcare practice from a socioeconomic point of view. The efforts made by healthcare providers must address equality of care, regardless of culture, and seek strategies to promote acceptance and understanding of cultural diversity and its overall impact on healthcare practice throughout the world.

References

Eaton, D.M., Redmond, A., and Bax, N. (2011). Training healthcare professionals for the future: internationalism and effective inclusion of global health training. Medical Teacher, 33(7), 562-569.

Hyer, R. (2013). Multicultural markets offer a wealth of opportunities. Optometry Times, retrieved from http://optometrytimes.modernmedicine.com/optometrytimes/news/multicultural-markets-offer-wealth-opportunities

Le Cook, B., McGuire, T.G., and Zaslavsky, A.M. (2012). Measuring racial/ethnic disparities in health care: methods and practical issues. Health Services Research, 47(3 Pt 2): 1232-1254.

Weech-Maldonado, R., Elliott, M.N., Pradhan, R., Schiller, C., Dreachslin, J., and Hays, R.J. (2012). Moving towards culturally competent health systems: organizational and market factors. Social Science & Medicine, 75, 815-822.