Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination

Hello, and welcome to this PowerPoint presentation. In this presentation, we will discuss how government policies affect the coordination and continuum of care for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia living in nursing homes. We will also look at the ethical questions raised by these policies and the impact of the nursing code of ethics in coordinating care for this patient group.

Introduction

Due to the progressive nature of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other forms of dementia, persons with these diseases will have more care demand and require support as their symptoms worsen. Nursing homes with dementia special care units play a role in caring for these patients. Their roles to these patients include providing physical care and ensuring the emotional well-being of their residents. The significance of these care institutions in handling vulnerable community members underpins the need for oversight by authorities. Several federal and state policies and regulations have been developed to ensure checks on the operationalization of nursing care homes across the country.

How Governmental Policies Affect the Coordination of Care

Federal and state policies considerably impact care coordination and administration in nursing care homes. These policies are mainly targeted at improving operational efficiencies with the overall goal of improving the clinical outcomes of patients in these care facilities and preserving their rights. The Medicare and Medicaid programs are policies that influence the level and quality of care provided in these facilities by directing funding through reimbursements to these institutions. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is another important policy targeted at securing protected health information for residents of nursing homes. Other important policies affecting nursing homes include the Nursing Home Reform Act (NHRA), which creates guidelines for nursing homes to abide by, and Resident Rights in Nursing Homes (RRNH), which outlines the rights of nursing home residents.

An Example of an Influential Policy: HIPAA

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is an example of a healthcare policy that affects the coordination and continuum of care in nursing homes by directing the handling of health data. It is targeted at protecting patients’ right to privacy. Since most nursing homes are covered entities under HIPAA, they are subject to HIPAA’s regulations for protecting patients’ privacy. HIPAA provides guidelines that help covered entities secure protected health information (PHI) to mitigate legal issues that may arise if breaches occur. These regulations require that all nursing homes abide by their state’s privacy rules, put policies to protect PHI, train staff on HIPAA compliance, and dispose of PHI correctly. Compliance with these regulations helps businesses avoid litigations.