Market and Regulation in US Health Care Discussion.
Market and Regulation in US Health Care Discussion.
In a few short weeks, coronavirus has changed the way that we live and interact with other human beings. This is a once in a century public health crisis. Take a certain subject (like the recent quarantine requirements) and explore how health policy can be used to create optimal incentives to control the coronavirus crisis. What levers of government would you use (e.g. FDA, CDC, NIH) as pressure on the private sector. How would you ensure affordability, but also incentives for private sector to behave optimally?
ORDER CUSTOM, PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER
1 Coronavirus Quarantine Requirements Final Paper Introduction Quarantine measures are applied to isolate individuals who have had interactions with an individual infected with a contagious disease, like COVID-19, over a period of time to see whether they show signs of illness. It is a means to prevent disease transmission. The quarantine period for COVID-19 is 14 days from the last time a person is exposed to a person confirmed to have COVID-19. Anyone is quarantined in their homes if a member of their family becomes sick with COVID-19, the quarantine requirements extends for at least 14 days, but usually, after they have finished their isolation (Zhang et al. 2020). This might, in fact, indicate that the final duration is less than 14 days. However, if the quarantined persons fail to show signs of the virus after 14 days, they are confirmed to be on the clear (Nussbaumer-Streit et al. 2020). Therefore, the possibility of people getting sick at home quarantine during this period is deemed low due to limited chances of contact with other individuals in public. This essay explores how health policy can be used to create optimal incentives to control the crisis as well as the levers of government to be used, such as the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the private sector. Health policies for optimal incentives in crisis control The Director-General of WHO announced that the disease epidemic (Coronavirus-19) is an international emergency in public health. As the epidemic continues to grow, Member States are exploring the solutions to minimize human transmission in areas where a virus can cause public health panic.
Public health measures to accomplish these goals have been devised, some of them requiring the limitation of travel and quarantine of healthy people who may have been 2 exposed to the infection from the majority of the community, with the goal of tracking their health effects and ensuring early detection of the virus. There are several nations with the power to enforce quarantine. According to WHO directives, quarantine can only be implemented as part of a systematic set of responses and containment interventions on public safety and should thoroughly protect the integrity, civil rights, and fundamental freedoms of persons in compliance with Article 3 of the International Health Regulations (2005).
In respect to the quarantine requirements put in place, there is also global consideration on the capacity of different countries to manage countermeasures. The graph below gives a visual representation of the current healthcare system capacity in respect to the virus spreading within regions with little to no protective measures. A sustained quarantine solution of this magnitude will soon find the health care system short-lived and overstretched with the amount of reported COVID 19 cases growing by the day. The condition has sparked discussion in the health care sector regarding which medical facilities to follow before quarantining staff — and whether protection procedures in hospitals and emergency rooms will become standard (Sjödin et al. 2020). Member States have the exclusive 3 right to legislate and enforce regulations with respect to their healthcare programs and in compliance with the Charter of the United Nations and the values of international law, although this means restricting the rights of persons. According to the World Health Organization directives, countries should coordinate these steps in order to decrease fear and boost enforcement before implementing the quarantine measures. Some of the positive enforcements include: 1. Officials will provide residents with simple, up-to-date, accessible, and compliant instructions and sound quarantine details. 2. When quarantine policies are to be adopted, positive engagement with societies is necessary.
3. Health services will be given for quarantined individuals; economic, social, and psychosocial assistance; and specific necessities, including food, water, and other vital goods. Priority should be provided to the needs of disadvantaged communities. 4. The effectiveness of quarantine is influenced by political, regional, and economic influences. Rapid local background analyses can also evaluate factors of progress and potential barriers to quarantine and should be used to advise proposals for interventions that are better adapted and widely embraced. Quarantine of persons Starting with the basics, quarantining is the prohibition of or isolation of the behaviors of people who are not sick but who have been subjected to a contagious agent or disease for the intention of tracking their effects and ensuring that their cases are identified early. WHO consequently explains how quarantine differs from isolation, which is to separate the diseased or infected from other individuals in order to prevent infection. Market and Regulation in US Health Care Discussion.
WHO advises 14 days from the last 4 time they were presented to the patient to quarantine contacts with patients confirmed to test positive of COVID-19. Implementing a quarantine measure on a person would hold if: 1. The person has had face-to-face contact with an infected person in close proximity of one meter and for more than fifteen minutes 2. Provided patients lacking adequate personal protection equipment with COVID-19 direct care 3. Lived for some period of time inside a similar environment with the COVID-19 patient (including studying, teaching or family members, or being at the same meeting) 4. Nearby (i.e., within 1 m from) the patient with COVID-19 in any form of transport 5. Any other situation has been achieved as explained by local risk assessment In light of the requirements above, the number of people being quarantined continues to increase gradually as the graph below indicates.
5 According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) healthcare policy, People suspected to have coronavirus or are examined for it and who do not need hospitalization for medical purposes should be monitored and separated in a residential setting until it is decided that the condition is correct. To negotiate house quarantine or other interventions for contact patients that check the virus positively, and to address requirements for the discontinuation of contact activities such persons, clinicians may have to receive such a directive from their State or local health departments. Individuals residing with a person in quarantine are not necessarily in quarantine, so they can track their effects, like anyone else in the community (Barry et al. 2020). On the other hand, isolation is also used in a medical facility as a concept where illness victims are enclosed in their own space. Similarly, home isolation ensures that people with the acute illness are separated and/or reported at home. Individuals may be segregated and quarantined in areas other than the house if necessary. Tourists in a hotel, for example, may be secluded/isolated in different rooms of the hotel (Chopra et al. 2020). Market and Regulation in US Health Care Discussion.
Monitoring the health of quarantined persons During the quarantined time, routine monitoring of those that are quarantined needs to take place at an approved medical facility, which should involve a body temperature monitoring and tracking of any other physical changes. Patients that are at a higher risk of infection and/or already have a preexisting disease will need to be closely monitored as their immune system might be disadvantaged against the attacks of the virus. Resources and personnel in quarantine facilities will need to be taken into account under the monitoring activities to ensure they observe safety measure as they contact infected individuals (Barry et al. 2020). In the sense of an acute epidemic, restricted public awareness outlets should be granted higher emphasis in education and 6 case-detection operations. It is of specific significance that air tests be sent at the final moments of the quarantine time from quarantined persons, regardless of whether they have symptoms. Market and Regulation in US Health Care Discussion.
The graph below shows COVID-19’s progression, in terms of number of confirmed case from countries outside china. Quarantine setting Implementing quarantine ensures that an individual or individuals are physically isolated and taken care of by the healthcare institution. The following steps are used in the correct quarantine procedures. 1. Quarantined citizens ought to be housed in comfortable, adequately ventilated single rooms with private bathrooms (that is, hand hygiene and toilets). Single rooms should be at least 1 meter away, if not accessible. 7 2. Environmental measures such as sufficient air conditioning, air filtration devices, and procedures for waste disposal must be included. 3. Physical space for all people that are quarantined must be preserved (i.e., a total area of 1 meter). 4. Market and Regulation in US Health Care Discussion.
The appropriate level of comfort should be ensured by accommodation, including: a. Availability of services for food, water, and hygiene b. Proper medication for the present situation c. Commutating in a language which can be interpreted by the quarantined, including clarification of their privileges, facilities rendered accessible, how long they would be expected to stay and what would happen if they get sick; more details on touch with their local embassy or guardians 5. Quarantined people that are separated or exposed to surgical or other treatments for public safety reasons should be equipped with emergency assistance gear. 6. People under quarantine ought to be allowed to interact outside of the quarantine center with family members. 7. Internet connectivity, news, and entertainment will be given as far as practicable. 8. There will be psychosocial help. 9. Particular care is required for the elderly and people with co-morbid conditions as their chances of severe COVID-19 rise. Self-quarantine If anyone has travelled from a coronavirus infected area, or has been in the vicinity of someone suspected of the virus, or has symptoms, self-quarantine is recommended. In more than 80 nations, the epidemic has already spread to over 100,000 people (Nussbaumer-Streit et al. 8 2020). Mainland China, where the virus originated, accompanied by Italy, the U.S., South Korean, and Iran, are the countries where there are the highest confirmed cases. The CDC advises that the recommendation to continue self-quarantine coordination with the health professionals, as well as the state and local government departments, is a firsthand priority. Selfquarantine will not be halted, where the possibility of infection secondary to other health facilities is deemed low (Nussbaumer-Streit et al. 2020). Market and Regulation in US Health Care Discussion.
Self-quarantine will help stop the current coronavirus from spreading. As of March 3, 2020, the World Health Organization has reported a 3.4 percent mortality rate among the elderly or the most vulnerable patients. Not only does self-quarantine eliminate illness in others, but it could also save the lives of people. Although health authorities have known some of the forms in which the virus can be propagated, they do not yet identify many of the ways in which it can spread from person to person (Nussbaumer-Streit et al. 2020). Possible quarantine settings involve hospitals, dormitories, other community dining services, or contact with family members at home. A public vulnerability assessment on public health will ensure that irrespective of the venue, appropriate requirements for secure and effective quarantine are achieved. In the case of the option of home quarantine one can have a single spacious area, or if there is no separate room, keep at least one meter apart from other members of the family, restrict usage of common areas and make certain open areas (such as kitchens and bathrooms) are well equipped and ventilated. The challenging implication of quarantine Quantitatively speaking, the transmission of COVID-19 has happened for more than 3,000 reported cases of various healthcare individuals scattered across the globe. Yet COVID-19 spreading is not an effective way. Instead, it seems that there is constant communication between 9 close contacts. To date, there have been 1183 records from 20 provinces outside Hubei, of which 88 percent contained 2-4 reported instances. Notice that 64% of the clusters identified so far have been in households (presentation to the WHO Assessment Committee of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention on 16 February 2020) (Zhang et al. 2020). In January 2020, China locked a set of cities to avoid COVID-19 spreading, and experts cautioned that many countries might not have the same policies applied (Sjödin et al. 2020). Market and Regulation in US Health Care Discussion.
In recent weeks the mobility of citizens has also been limited in towns, states, and countries worldwide to avoid the dissemination of this virus. Any of the individuals who have been exposed to the virus have had to live under strict isolation for two weeks. There are also other populations with no evidence of exposure to the epidemic; however, it is always advised to remain home to help slow down the pandemic. The critical issue has been whether the health agencies directive for quarantine is taking lengthy isolation, which may have a protracted psychological effect rather than merely being distressing (Sjödin et al. 2020). Additionally, depression and specific post-traumatic stress disorder are imminent at this point, especially where the quarantine measure violates the health policies in place and stipulations laid out by the World Health Organization. Under the influence of this pandemic, it is vital for public safety ministries to evacuate patients under these challenges and to allow others to quarantine at home if it helps improve their psychological response. Additionally, authorities should arrange the exclusion in ways, such as by not agreeing to prolong a quarantine over one period of time, to reduce the psychological effects. Regardless of the physical and psychological implications of the quarantine measure, the effects of the virus are still increasing. 10 Consequently, an inadequate quarantine means people don’t realize what they’re doing, and they don’t have a transparent excuse why that’s important. Market and Regulation in US Health Care Discussion.
They have little connection and don’t have seamless connectivity to essential resources or healthcare. When individuals suffer significant difficulties and believe they cannot continue to carry on, that will have a negative impact on their recovery efforts under quarantine (Sjödin et al. 2020). And if anyone reduces the length of the quarantine period at the last minute, then it has to be at a justified cause. Exemption from the duty of quarantine According to WHO, in the quarantine rules, individuals with a central position in health care activities will be exempted from quarantine at work (Chopra et al. 2020). The administration of the workplace shall specify the application of this exception. The exception is only applicable at work and on trips to and from work. They shall otherwise remain at home under isolation as a means to maintain their safety. Public buses to and from work will not be used. The following will be weighed when allowing a quarantine exception: 11 1. Right to reassign workers from certain parts of the company. 2. Capacity to reduce operation. Where this is not necessary to secure activities, a local assessment of who will be called back to work will be carried out. Examples of individuals who could be applicable to the quarantine work under WHO stipulations: 1. Personnel who have recovered from COVID-19, verified by the laboratory procedure prescribed. 2. Workers who fly overseas and are under quarantine. 3. Employees in quarantine at the end of their duration (COVID-19 maximum incubation time is 5-6 days). The following will not be excluded from the quarantine requirement: 1. Workers with respiratory tract and/or fever symptoms are deemed likely to be infected with COVID-19 during the time of quarantine. Market and Regulation in US Health Care Discussion.
They have to be isolated and thus will not resume their regular work duties for a certain period of time. 2. Workers in near contact with an individual who has shown symptoms of the virus. 3. Workers who have a member/partner of the household that has a confirmed COVID-19 case. Health agencies and government involvement There are strict laws in some countries, and others are liberal. The secret to isolation in the globe is that citizens tend to find a clear explanation of why it is so. There are legitimate explanations for why the government would enforce a draconian system in Italy with respect to their mortality rates (Chopra et al. 2020). For a case where the global community is highly 12 concerned about future deaths, the rationale will begin to be challenged. As people do with every area of their life, they seek to choose what is necessary from previous experience. For example, the Spanish flu of 1918 was debated in the medical community. Despite its predicaments and achievements, learning from the Spanish flu puts the public health systems at an experience-need basis, which compels against a repeat of the mistakes made earlier. This makes the risk is people claiming the government and/or the health agencies don’t have the medical treatment for quarantined individuals a downward spiral that can spread panic (Barry et al. 2020). However, as far as the general public plays along, this situation still creates a crucial moment of knowledge and acts as a wakeup call for government agencies to know better. Governments are finding things complicated enough to figure out what has to work now. This complication would make it challenging for people to grasp even simple science and facts. The private sector contribution Optimism is decreasing as the pandemic of coronavirus becomes more and more deadended. COVID-19 claimed thousands of lives and nearly every part of everyday life is effected by people all over the world. Yet, in this worldwide public safety epidemic, there is at least one bright side; which is the impressive pace these private businesses have begun solving the problem (Nussbaumer-Streit et al. 2020). Market and Regulation in US Health Care Discussion.
Although federal authorities have, at times, worsened the situation, private firms have created innovative experimental treatments and technology that can lead to reducing the pandemic and to saving lives. The virus has spread from Wuhan, China, in less than three months and is now infecting more than 430.000 people worldwide in 168 nations. Even others can have and don’t recognize the infection. There have been more than 18,000 suicides as a result of the virus (Barry et al., 2020). The Centers for Disease Control and 13 Prevention’s Early Research Kits have been unreliable. Initially, federal authorities declined to use the World Health Organization and other regional examinations (Barry et al. 2020). The Food and Drug Administration has shown to be reluctant to evaluate and authorize innovative products produced by private labs, sluggish to loosen regulatory controls for the manufacture of new ventilators, and utterly hostile to future COVID-19 privately owned vaccine research. In comparison, in the aftermath of the pandemic, private corporations have created a remarkable ray of optimism (Nussbaumer-Streit et al. 2020). A few months earlier, the first-ever COVID-19 vaccine was introduced by Massachusetts-based pharmaceutical firm Moderna. Within just 42 days, the organization succeeded in defining the research ingredient. The new vaccinations are still being focused on by other companies — including Vaxart, Inovio, GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi, and Johnson & Johnson (Zhang et al. 2020). Many firms have been committed to checking alternative treatments. Gilead Sciences is testing whether remdesivir, a previously expected antiviral against SARS and MERS, could be beneficial for SARS-CoV-2, the virus strain that causes COVID-19. Market and Regulation in US Health Care Discussion.
Regeneron is investigating if its Kevzara treatment for arthritis will combat COVID-19 (Zhang et al. 2020). Most private companies want to sell the latest coronavirus treatment at home. For example, EverlyWell in Austin, Texas, already manufactures COVID-19 home-test kits. A direct test kit has been provided to ScanWell Health, a Los Angeles corporation, and would only take 15 minutes to produce results (Zhang et al. 2020). The FDA has demonstrated explicitly that no coronavirus studies at home have been licensed. I admit that the most substantial chance to resolve not just the public health crises triggered by COVID-19 but also the economic turmoil that the pandemic has brought on is the breakthroughs from the private sector (Nussbaumer-Streit et al. 2020). It’s fair to believe the 14 return to normalcy would not be far away as successful medicines and vaccinations are affordable, and our markets would open again to industry. While the number of COVID-19 cases worldwide increases, there’s a certain amount of optimism that the global community will eventually end this pandemic, owing to the enthusiasm and naivety of the private sector response. Center for Disease Control (CDC) role CDC has been a pioneer in medical science for over a half-century, dedicated to defending the citizens of America and making Communities informed, secure, and prosperous. CDC operates with the corporate sector as the CDC’s goal of protecting Americans is supported through public business collaborations. Such alliances allow the country to do more (Chopra et al. 2020). The organization is an involved trustee of the assets allocated to it and the commitment to the American citizens. CDC investigates each entity in-depth to ensure that all applicable legal agencies, procedures, and protocols are implemented when taking foreign donations, and for this case, to ensure that quarantine protocols and expenses are kept in check. Public-private collaborations lead to government entities performing well, drawing on existing resources, taking joint steps, enhancing current efficiency, and allowing cost savings. Market and Regulation in US Health Care Discussion.
The statistical data representation below from the CDC shows the level of spread of the virus under different age groups. 15 The CDC would be in a better place to work towards preserving the credibility of the quarantine requirements, ensuring transparency, and tackling the most urgent public health problems currently being triggered by the virus. The CDC’s dedication to enhancing and preserving the country’s legal standards systems acknowledges the importance of clear commitment to ensuring compliance of the health policy obligations against the laid out regulations for quarantine requirements. Since the main goal for CDC is to safeguard citizens, it is in a better position to leverage its medical and science skills and its collaborations to address health risks and enhance working standards in the country as well as the entire global scope (Chopra et al. 2020). 16 Conclusion In conclusion, under all the requirements put in place and the commitment for exhibiting good faith in ensuring the health policies in place are adhered to, it is critical that public health orders work on a daily basis without prejudice on the grounds of ethnicity, age, tribal history, or any improper factors and should be focused upon principles of public safety under quarantine facilities. Public health legislation would require public health authorities to render isolation directives to those affected and the quarantine of individuals subjected to the COVID-19 virus (Nussbaumer-Streit et al. 2020). Market and Regulation in US Health Care Discussion.
Public health legislation such flexibility limitations cannot be seen as a last alternative and can be minimally stringent, which is the case for recovery directives, instead of being restricted to a prison or other detention facility. An infected person that may not need medical treatment, for example, may actually quarantine in his or her house. 17 Reference Barry, M., Ghonem, L., Alsharidi, A., Alanazi, A., Alotaibi, N. H., AL-Shahrani, F. S., … & BaHammam, A. S. (2020). Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Mitigation Measures and Hospitals Preparedness. J Nat Sci Med, 1-11. Chopra, V., Toner, E., Waldhorn, R., & Washer, L. (2020). How should US hospitals prepare for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)?. Annals of Internal Medicine. Nussbaumer-Streit, B., Chapman, A., Dobrescu, A. I., Mayr, V., Persad, E., Klerings, I., & Gartlehner, G. (2020). The Effectiveness of Quarantine to Control the Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Rapid Review. Available at SSRN 3550010. Sjödin, H., Wilder-Smith, A., Osman, S., Farooq, Z., & Rocklöv, J. (2020). Only strict quarantine measures can curb the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Italy, 2020. Eurosurveillance, 25(13), 2000280. World Health Organization. (2020). Considerations for quarantine of individuals in the context of containment for coronavirus disease (COVID-19): interim guidance, 19 March 2020 (No. WHO/2019-nCoV/IHR_Quarantine/2020.2). World Health Organization. Zhang, L., Shen, M., Ma, X., Su, S., Gong, W., Wang, J., … & Li, W. (2020). What is Required to Prevent a Second Major Outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus COVID-19 Upon Lifting the Metropolitan-Wide Quarantine of Wuhan City, China: A Mathematical Modelling Study. COVID-19 projection using data-science — A case for modeling epidemics using logistic map. Retrieved from: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2Fanalytics- 18 vidhya%2Fmodeling-covid-19-spreading-using-data-science-and-logistic-map8b11cf46c0a8&psig=AOvVaw1C4OV3lu4udlPttbLmUSgm&ust=1588692940313000&s ource=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCKiZ5c7EmukCFQAAAAAdAAAAAB Ac Paris-Lamar County Health District isolation requests rise as virus testing ability dwindles. Retrieved from: http://theparisnews.com/free/article_deec1288-747f-11ea-859d53add6f48b2a.html