With diseases ravaging the country, accessing healthcare has never been more difficult than today. A report by the US Census Bureau on health insurance notes how in 2020, 8.6% of the population, or 28 million people, did not have any health insurance at any point during the year.
Although a majority had health insurance, the rate of coverage was only 54.4% for employment-based coverage — making costs still high, especially for people in poverty.
Combined with potential issues in claiming insurance, healthcare is not always accessible, despite being necessary for life.
However, these issues are expected to change as more healthcare providers get involved in patient care and advocacy.
Part of the healthcare system are nurses, who serve as primary healthcare providers. As they take on expanded roles and work in different settings, they have become uniquely positioned to improve accessibility and health outcomes.
In this article, we’ll discuss the role of nurses in accessible healthcare:
Overcome cultural stigma and implicit bias
A study by the American College of Physicians on the social determinants of health notes how race and ethnicity are significant forces of inequity in healthcare.
These issues stem from organizational, structural, and clinical barriers, discouraging or hindering patients from receiving proper treatment.
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In addition, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual/allied (LGBTQIA) individuals also struggle to receive proper healthcare due to discrimination or the lack of training and exposure to transgender-related care.
Even if healthcare providers aren’t actively stigmatizing their patients, they may fall to implicit bias, affecting patient care quality.
Nurses working closely with patients must overcome cultural stigma and unlearn their biases. Nurses can mitigate implicit bias through self-interventions like practicing emotion regulation, mindfulness, and habit replacement to build unbiased thinking.
Moreover, nurses can take further steps to combat stigma by educating other staff on how to interact appropriately with patients from all walks of life.
Increase consultations through telehealth
With the widespread adoption of technology like computers and mobile devices, telehealth has become an accessible way to health care services.
Without leaving the comfort of their home, patients can receive nurses’ diagnoses and treatment through virtual visits.
In addition, healthcare providers can use remote monitoring devices that enable them to track the physical status of their patients, even in far-flung areas.
But this shift to a digital setting has brought concerns over patient data.
Insights from Maryville University on healthcare cybersecurity note that although the healthcare industry is a prime target for data breaches, reliable telehealth platforms are secured by cybersecurity professionals.
With support from a talented cybersecurity team, medical centers can put security systems in place to ensure nurses practice HIPAA and maintain patient confidentiality, even on computerized platforms.
Still, nurses should practice basic security measures, such as locking nurse workstations or phones, to protect crucial information.
Participate in health policy change
As mentioned earlier, nurses are positioned to learn and give their perspectives on the healthcare system.
This makes them a crucial part of local, state, and national health policymaking.
As noted in the medical book, The Future of Nursing 2020-2030, powerful drivers of health sometimes lie beyond the conventional medical care delivery system, which is why health policies need to be more encompassing.
Nurses can highlight any underlying health and social justice issues that affect health equity by engaging directly with the government and organizations.
For instance, a nurse in Delaware was able to get their state to pass legislation on a colorectal cancer screening program, improving access to care and reducing disparities in morbidity and mortality from colorectal cancer.
By advocating for patient-centric policies and programs, nurses can make healthcare all the more accessible.
