Review the health policy you identified and reflect on the background and development of this health policy

ANSWER:

Congress plays a significant role in developing and enacting health policies to improve public health and care outcomes. Health policies are a bi-partisan priority; in most instances, it passes without many hurdles. The enactment of health policies goes beyond the regulatory aspect to include other pragmatic processes, funding, and oversight. Public policies are legally binding, and care institutions and specialists have to comply. The development and enactment of health policies are guided by evidence-based processes and the need to foster health equity (Pollack Porter, Rutkow & McGinty, 2018). This paper will focus on a recently enacted policy, Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2019, to review its background, development process, and significance in healthcare and the public.

Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act (PAHPAI) of 2019 was sponsored by Sen.Burr Richard, who introduced it to the Senate on 8th May 2019. Congress passed the bill, and on 24th June 2019, President Trump signed it into law. The bill is number S.1379. The legislation aims to enhance the nation’s preparedness and reaction to public health threats, be it human-made or from natural forces (Congress.Gov, 2020). Securing the wellbeing of the public is the ultimate goal of the bill. The 2019 bill is not the first of its kind since there was a previous one with almost a similar name, the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), signed into law under President George W. Bush reign on 19th December 2006 (Zurcher, 2019). PAHPA was signed into law as the previous year; Hurricane Katrina had shown that the federal, state, local, tribal, and institutional entities need to enhance their coordination to help detect, prevent, and efficiently respond to public health threats outbreaks (Zurcher, 2019). PAHPA was reauthorized by congress in 2013 while another reauthorization was set for 2018.

PAHPAI 2019 revises, reauthorizes, and sets up new programs related to public health emergency preparedness and response. Some of the programs the bill changes include the CDC’s situational awareness and biosurveillance program, the National disaster Medical system, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, and includes new programs such as the trauma –center grant program to demystify trauma in military personnel (Congress.Gov, 2020). The 2019 bill provisions are vast to cover different aspects of national security, community outreach, preparedness, response, communication, reporting, prioritizing threats, technology use, and other miscellaneous provisions (Congress.Gov, 2020). Most of the provisions are guided by evidence-based research and practice to improve existing policies, procedures, and federal programs.

The reason to enact a bill such as the PAHPAI 2019 bill is that communities are always at risk of disasters and emergencies. The government and the public health sector have to be prepared for natural hazards, infectious disease outbreaks, conflicts, technological hazards, among other forms of threats (Pollack Porter, Rutkow & McGinty, 2018). The current COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated the need for having an active emergency response team and stronger institutions that are well endowed with resources to curb disasters. The impact of natural disasters, climate change, and human-made hazards is devastating to the economy, health, and community. As the country develops, more threats continue to rise each day, increasing the frequency of emergency outbreaks and disasters. The government has an obligation to secure its citizens’ wellbeing and establish sound risk management policies, practices, and procedures.

I believe that enacting such as policy, such as PAHPAI 2019, is guided by previous experiences and sound evidence-based procedures. Preparing healthcare facilities and personnel for disasters is a significant public health priority. The calamities and sickness incidences depend not only on the severity of the disaster but also on the various government and health institutions’ ability to prepare and respond to threats (Toner, 2017). A current outbreak of COVID-19 provides a practical lesson on the need to have a well-prepared health system supplemented by other emergency response entities. The number of casualties in the epidemic is regrettably high, and lessons show the need for a well-prepared healthcare and public health system. Healthcare preparedness mitigates risks, saves lives, and prevents long term consequences of outbreaks and disasters (Toner, 2017). Government policies and programs are significant as despite having to spend millions on preparedness, the cost is less compared to having to face the consequences of disasters ad outbreaks as demonstrated by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and current COVID-19 pandemic. Substantial progress has been noted in healthcare and public health preparedness over the past 20 years, built upon continuous investment on informed and evidence-based backed policies and processes.

References

Congress.Gov. (2020). S.1379 – 116th Congress (2019-2020): Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2020, from https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/1379

Pollack Porter, K. M., Rutkow, L., & McGinty, E. E. (2018). The importance of policy change for addressing public health problems. Public Health Reports, 133(1_suppl), 9S-14S.

Toner, E. (2017). Healthcare preparedness: Saving lives. Health security, 15(1), 8-11.

Zurcher, J. (2019). The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2019 Signed Into Law: NEHA’s Journey to Get Environmental Health to the Table. Retrieved 11 October 2020, from https://go.gale.com/ps/anonymous?id=GALE%7CA596819226&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=00220892&p=HRCA&sw=w

QUESTION:

Evidence Base in Design

When politics and medical science intersect, there can be much debate. Sometimes anecdotes or hearsay are misused as evidence to support a particular point. Despite these and other challenges, however, evidence-based approaches are increasingly used to inform health policy decision-making regarding causes of disease, intervention strategies, and issues impacting society. One example is the introduction of childhood vaccinations and the use of evidence-based arguments surrounding their safety.

In this Discussion, you will identify a recently proposed health policy and share your analysis of the evidence in support of this policy.

To Prepare:

Review the Congress website provided in the Resources and identify one recent (within the past 5 years) proposed health policy. www.congress.gov

Review the health policy you identified and reflect on the background and development of this health policy.

By Day 3 of Week 7

Post a description of the health policy you selected and a brief background for the problem or issue being addressed. Explain whether you believe there is an evidence base to support the proposed policy and explain why. Be specific and provide examples.