Health System Reforms: Progress and Opportunities - Essay Sample

Introduction

The healthcare system is the organizational set up of institutions and resources whose main objective is to improve health. The last few decades have experienced health reforms, although not enough advancement has been attained in developing health systems that encourage collective health improvements (Atun et al., 2015). Health has been extensively discussed internationally and increased funds are beginning to be available for health activities in poor countries. The extension of health-friendly contexts and quality care for everyone constitutes the main imperative of health systems (Reich et al., 2016). This paper explores the social security health system (SGSSS), developed with the main objective of helping everybody access healthcare, irrespective of their financial abilities. The paper looks at the mission and vision of the system and how they get demonstrated to society. The set-up of the system is also discussed paying more attention to the culture of the health care system, conflict management and the risks faced within the delivery of healthcare. To improve the status of the health sector, the paper analyzes the Kotter's 8 step model of change.

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The Social Security Health System

The Social Security Health System (SGSSS) is the way insurance is provided that covers health expenses to the inhabitants of National territory (Scheil-Adlung, 2017). People join the Health Promoting Entity (EPS) of their choice, receive their Health Card and become part of the Social Security Health System. The services receive them through a Service Provider Institution (IPS). The General Social Security System in Health works in two affiliation regimes: the Tax Regime and the Subsidized Regime. Initiated in the guilds and brotherhoods of the Middle Ages; by periodic payment of an amount, they received the surgeon, apothecary and burial services. In its format more current arises in Germany in 1883, by adaptation of Chancellor Bismarck (Scheil-Adlung, 2017). It was a forecasting system that offered workers and their families' protection economic against the risk of disease. Currently, its key feature is that the different components that make up the Welfare State. They derive from the employment relationship.

Today it is present in several countries in central Europe (the "liberal Europe") like Germany, France, Belgium or Austria. In this system, health is conceived as a right or a good protected by public authorities. The state guarantees health benefits. The system is funded through mandatory quotas of employers and workers and the collaboration of the State is variable. The beneficiaries are the contributors and the people dependent on them. The linking to suppliers is by contract. Payment to the suppliers is made by contracts and by several services. There is freedom of negotiation between users, suppliers, and insurers. The system focuses primarily on health restoration functions and, to a lesser extent, in promotion and prevention activities (Scheil-Adlung, 2017).

The Mission, Vision, and Culture of the System

The main goal of the health care system is the achievement of good health, fulfilling the needs of the citizens and assisting people in funding their healthcare service. There has been a problem of affordability to access healthcare due to high poverty levels among people in the world. This has led to complications resulting from preventable health conditions, which cannot be accessed due to a lack of money. This problem can be solved with the application of the right health policy. As discussed above, this is achieved through the insurance that covers the expenses incurred in healthcare delivery. Evidence across the world has proved that the social protection system reduces inequality and promotes health levels (Reich et al., 2016).

The culture of conflict at workplaces occur all the time and may lead to wastage of time in hospitals as it may lead people to engage in gossip and other unproductive activities. Conflict within an organization can be stopped by understanding the causal factors and addressing them in time. Human resource managers play an important role in resolving these conflicts. They should help organizations differentiate between healthy and unhealthy conflicts.

The conflict becomes unhealthy when it is based on personal emotions. However, research has indicated that conflict between employees has a positive impact (Reich et al., 2016). The culture where dissent is allowed is encouraged as it may lead innovations through thought diversification gained through improved decision-making techniques. Some conflicts challenge the status quo of any healthcare facility, improving health status. Conflict can be solved when the right approach is followed. Ground rules should be created by the human resource to ensure people respect each other within the system. Brainstorming the solutions is also very important as it helps discuss the options available in a positive manner.

Other than the risk of conflict, the health systems also suffer from financial risk that further pushes people to financial catastrophe. Introducing social protection will help protect patients from the barriers preventing them from accessing healthcare. The social health insurance system becomes significant in social protection strategy (Scott, Mannion, Davies & Marshall, 2018).

Quality improvement in healthcare is critical and can be measured by inspection, administering surveys and using third party assessment. Health care facilities benefit from this measurement of improvement as it helps compare the current state with the initial goals, identifying the errors limiting efficiency. A change within an organization can be achieved by applying Kotter's 8 stage model. The model helps achieve change thought he step discussed below:

Creating a sense of urgency when change occurs is the first step by Kotter. This ensures that everyone agrees on the importance of the proposed change. This motivates a health worker in achieving the first program. But it is not about showing a statistic of diminishing sales or talking about the increase in competition.

The second step is building a strong coalition to insist on the team members the importance of change. This action implies bringing key people within the organization together and forming a team with a common objective. The key people include prominent people who have power depending on the positions they hold or experience.

Thirdly, leaders in the healthcare sector need to create a vision for the desired change. Leaders come across many ideas when thinking of change. The change must be something that can be easily understood and remembered.

The other step is to communicate the Vision to everybody in the health care units. What organizations do with their vision determines their success. Communication of the vision to all members of the team is critical as they familiarize themselves with the issue at hand. The first stage of change is knowing it well.

After talking about the vision and spreading it to all levels of the health sector, the management is set to remove the obstacles. This depends on whether there is anyone who has the motive to resist change. The processes of change get started followed by constantly checking the barriers that exist. The removal of barriers empowers the staff helping in advancing the management of change.

Considering short-term wins is the other step in the Kotter model of change. Success motivates people working through a change phase. To achieve palpable results will achieve in the healthcare unit, leaders should learn to appreciate small wins achieved in the course of change.

The other step is building on change. Kotter argues on the advantage of long-term changes over the short term changes. He argues that the short term factors should only be perceived as building blocks for the long term changes in any given case. To achieve a significant change, health workers should consider continuous improvements.

The last step is to include a change in the culture of the health sector. Making something a habit within the working team helps in the implementation of any given change. This is because the practice becomes a norm where everyone feels obligated to carry a task towards the change. Make continuous efforts to ensure change look at all aspects of the health organization.

Conclusion

Health constitutes a right of every citizen that the State can and must guarantee, regardless of the health system that is in force in each country. Financial resources are still scarce in developed countries, due to the high technological level achieved by modern medicine, which has disproportionately increased health expenditures about the gross national product (GNP) (Scott et al., 2018). If we take into account the demographic transition that all countries have suffered, thanks to their development, the costs of health care are irrepressible. All states face this problem and eagerly seek mechanisms to alleviate this situation (Dekker, 2016). The social insurance health system covers the expenses incurred by acquiring health care. The healthcare system aims at improving healthcare by funding their healthcare services. The application of Kotter's eight-step process for change can help in improving the delivery of healthcare.

References

Atun, R., De Andrade, L. O. M., Almeida, G., Cotlear, D., Dmytraczenko, T., Frenz, P., ... & De Paula, J. B. (2015). Health-system reform and universal health coverage in Latin America. The Lancet, 385(9974), 1230-1247.

Dekker, S. (2016). Just culture: Balancing safety and accountability. CRC Press.

Reich, M. R., Harris, J., Ikegami, N., Maeda, A., Cashin, C., Araujo, E. C., ... & Evans, T. G. (2016). Moving towards universal health coverage: lessons from 11 country studies. The Lancet, 387(10020), 811-816.

Scheil-Adlung, X. (2017). Building Social Security: Volume 6, The Challenge of Privatization. Routledge.

Scott, T., Mannion, R., Davies, H., & Marshall, M. (2018). Healthcare performance and organisational culture. CRC Press.