There is a growing need for accessible healthcare, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is more important than ever to maintain the population’s health and well-being. Actions towards greater healthcare accessibility should be put in place for the benefit of the people.
In the United States, the healthcare system needs development. Although there is high-quality healthcare in the U.S., access to these services is limited. One key to improving this system is technology. We must first understand the trends in the current healthcare system to be able to address its problems.
With the development of technology, public health professionals also need cost-effective alternatives to healthcare solutions. While budget is a big factor, creativity in terms of making these services accessible is also important.
Public Health and Technology
We know that technology plays a big role in our modern lives. Technology provides us with the latest gadgets and convenient and accessible services such as those in healthcare. Public health has developed immensely through the use of modern technology.
Here are some developments that have made public healthcare more accessible to the people.
In developing drugs, dissolution analysis is a crucial part of the process. There is an increasing need for drug prices to be reduced. Cost-effective dissolution testing equipment can help reduce these prices. Drug companies and the government should work together in lowering the prices of these drugs.
Meanwhile, mobile medical check-ups have allowed patients to connect with medical practitioners simply through their cell phones and other mobile devices. Through this mobile service, medical advice is provided to a wider consumer base. Those with no means of transportation or who are too ill to go to the clinic will be able to get the high-quality service that they deserve.
In social media, it might come as a surprise that the microblogging platform, Twitter, helps medical professionals monitor diseases. Through this platform, health professionals analyze millions of tweets to use the platform as a surveillance tool for the spread of certain diseases.
While these are only some ways in which technology has helped the medical field, there are many other instances when technological development has given a significant push towards improving the healthcare industry.
Why Public Health Is Important
Health is a human right. With the responsibility to protect the whole population, healthcare is a crucial aspect of providing public services. Given this responsibility, there is a great need for continuous development in this sector.
Public health oversees and aids in the prolonging of life. By preventing health issues and diseases through medical research, public health can detect complications as early as possible.
With public health programs, all concerned citizens will be aware and educated of health hazards that they need to be cautious of. This will minimize the rate of people affected by diseases.
Through accessible public health, the inequality gap will be closed between people from diverse backgrounds and genders.
Public Health Responsibilities
The local health department is in charge of providing enough medical services for all in a given community. While this is the ideal situation, this does not necessarily reflect what is currently happening.
Here are the responsibilities of local health departments.
As leaders of a given community, local health officials’ responsibility is to provide equal and adequate local public health infrastructure in a given community. This includes the maintenance of the facilities and the management of the systems involved in keeping the infrastructures running.
Promoting healthy behavior and habits should also be a priority of local health officials. Prevention is better than cure, and this also applies in every aspect of the public health system. It is the responsibility of these officials to engage the community in educational events and new health policies.
Public health officials are also in charge of preventing the spread of communicable diseases. Preventing the spread of infectious diseases will benefit the productivity and economy of a local community. Doing so will greatly avoid a potential disease outbreak which can affect a community’s livelihood and well-being.
These are a couple of responsibilities of local health departments that should be implemented effectively to create healthy spaces for all citizens.
Access to public health is important in any given locality. A good public health system will allow local citizens to stay healthy and active in their given environment. While technology is a big factor in pushing the public health sector forward, local health officials should, likewise, take responsibility for keeping citizens safe.