Healthcare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Healthcare - Essay Example There are many individuals involved in the provision of long-term care. These include medical personnel, support staff, as well as volunteers within organizations and the community in general. It is worth noting that these individuals are the major determinants of the quality of care in these long-care delivery sites. This is in regard to their individual behaviors and other determining factors such as implemented policies. Before outlining the mechanisms to promote quality outcomes in assisted living facilities, it is worth defining assisted living. As asserted by Stevenson and Grabowski (2009), assisted living is "A congregate residential setting that provides or coordinates personal services, 24-hour supervision and assistance (scheduled and unscheduled), activities, and health related services"(Para. 3). Quality outcomes in assisted living facilities can be promoted through implementation of effective public policies particularly public financing. In the United States, public health is largely financed by Medicaid. Stevenson and Grabowski (2009) notes that very few individuals benefit from such public support by Medicaid. The fact that Medicaid as a public financier in health matters cannot finance accommodation for individuals in need of assisted care blocks many people from accessing assisted living services. Many people are therefore forced to use their personal savings to finance assisted living and when their finances run-out, care is affected and so do quality outcomes. Using Medicaid and other public financing to cover expenses incurred through personalized care and medical expenses would therefore significantly promote quality outcomes. There are also other mechanisms by payers that promote quality outcomes in assisted living such as long-term-care insurance (Nelms, Mayes an d Doll, 2012). Quality outcomes can be achieved through recognizing or discovering potential threats to health and subsequently