Introduction
Health care reform has been discussed and proposed for many years, in many different countries. While much of the research material about health care comes from other countries, various reports highlight the importance of this approach when articulating the future of health care in USA. Dedicated resources in the 2003 federal budget can be seen as an indication that there is a real commitment to health care reform.
In simplest terms, a health care approach places an emphasis on community based services with increased attention to early intervention and prevention strategies such as health promotion. However, policy statements and dedicated resources alone may not be sufficient to facilitate the necessary shift in thinking away from institutional models and the almost exclusive emphasis on the treatment of illness (Abramson, 1984).
Explanation
In order to meet the requirements of ‚renewed health care system professionals will be required to collaborate to develop comprehensive plans of care. This will require professionals to take the time to get to know the skills that different professional groups bring to the primary health care setting. Not only will health care teams be challenged to incorporate differing frames through which to see clients they will also be challenged to develop an understanding of, and responsiveness to, the changing needs of the communities they serve. On a more macro level, a genuine health care approach will require governments to take into account the physical, social and economic factors that impact upon individuals and shift the focus away from treating illness to broader social health focus. The World Health Organization identified five areas for action:
- Build healthy public social policy;
- Create supportive environments;
- Strengthen community action;
- Develop individual personal skills, and
- Reorient health services.
The Social Work profession has a long tradition of working.....
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