Health v. health care

   2 terms used loosely WHO: ‘health is the state of complete physical, mental, and social well being and not merely the absence of disease” Health care- usually pertains to the system of financing and delivering personal medical care  Much of our health is based on social determinants housing, education, social capital, our natural environment  ALL shaped by policy decisions made outside of the health care system

Health policy addresses questions such as:  Where are we with our health care?

 How did we get here?

 Where do we want to be?

 What other alternatives are available?

 What is likely to work in the future given our political processes?

 What roles should health professionals and ordinary citizens play in the process?

 How can we become better prepared for such roles?

The Key Players

 National government  State and local government  Health care institutions  Provider professionals  Payer organizations (employers & insurers)  Individuals (consumers)

Policy Analysis Process

 Problem identification  Process definition  Process analysis  Qualitative analysis  Evaluation  Technical or political feasibility; economic and financial viability  Recommendation

Policy Analysis Process and Health Professionals The context Policy analysis Health Professions and Professionals

Health Policy influences you:

 Education  Health care  Water/food  Your profession- funding, accreditation  What other policies influence your day to day activities?

Where do PTs and other healthcare professionals fit in?  Low level of influence of health professionals on policy in the US  Focus on what policy is doing to them, not what they can do to change policy  Professionally prepared leaders are important  High cost for time spent on policy  Recent interest based on provider dissatisfaction with changes in professional autonomy, incomes, and working conditions under managed care  Lack of time and skills- decreased confidence in policy advocacy