Healthcare Policies and Ethics - Notes

Healthcare Laws and Regulations:

1. HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) ensures patient data privacy and security.
2. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded access to affordable healthcare in the U.S., reducing uninsured rates.
3. Data privacy laws protect electronic health records (EHR) and prevent unauthorized sharing of patient information.
4. Healthcare laws aim to standardize care delivery, ensuring fairness and quality.
5. Policy frameworks define the legal and ethical boundaries for healthcare organizations.
6. Compliance with regulations is critical for protecting patient rights and ensuring trust in healthcare systems.

Medical Ethics: 

1. Autonomy respects a patient's right to make decisions about their healthcare.
2. Beneficence requires healthcare professionals to act in the best interest of the patient.
3. Justice promotes fairness and equality in distributing healthcare resources.
4. Non-maleficence emphasizes "do no harm" as a core ethical principle in medicine.
5. Informed consent ensures patients are aware of risks, benefits, and alternatives before treatment.
6. Upholding medical ethics builds trust, improves patient satisfaction, and guides professional conduct.

Global Health Challenges:

1. Health inequities arise from socioeconomic, geographic, and systemic disparities in healthcare access.
2. Limited resources and infrastructure in low-income regions exacerbate healthcare challenges.
3. Pandemics, such as COVID-19, highlight gaps in global preparedness and response systems.
4. International organizations, like WHO, play a key role in coordinating pandemic responses and policies.
5. Accessibility issues, including cost and geographic barriers, prevent equitable healthcare delivery.
6. Addressing global health challenges requires collaboration, innovation, and policy reforms to ensure universal care.