Research Article Critique: Empowerment Health Education in Adult Literacy: A Guide for Public Health and Adult Literacy Practitioners
Overview of the Article
Physical health is the overall condition of a living organism at a given time, the soundness of the body, freedom from disease or abnormality, and the condition of optimal well being. People want to function as designed, but environmental forces can attack the body or it may have genetic malfunctions. The main concern in health is healing damage caused by injuries and biological attacks. Each one of us was born with a body that is a highly complex mechanism. It is amazing that it operates as well as it does. Good health is really defined as being able to function according to the way the body has been designed to function. Unfortunately, no one is perfect and many people have defects in their bodies. Some people have defects that can be life-threatening. Fortunately, the body can compensate for defects and a person may easily live a long life with a body that is only partially functioning. An example is how a blind person or crippled person can compensate for the handicap and simply turn it into a challenge. Not only should the all the body parts work well and work together, they also need proper nutrition for energy and to continue to operate effectively. In general, humans and animals seem to be able to tell what foods their bodies need to function properly and to be healthy.
Healthcare is a business and, like every other business, it needs good management to keep it running smoothly.(:2004) The occupation, medical and health services manager encompasses all individuals who plan, direct, coordinate, and supervise the delivery of healthcare. Medical and health services managers include specialists and generalists. Specialists are in charge of specific clinical departments or services, while generalists manage or help to manage an entire facility or system. The structure and financing of healthcare is changing rapidly. Future medical and health services managers must be prepared to deal with evolving integrated healthcare delivery systems, technological innovations, an increasingly complex regulatory environment, restructuring of work, and an increased focus on preventive care. They will be called upon to improve efficiency in healthcare facilities and the quality of the healthcare provided. Increasingly, medical and health services managers will work in organizations in which they must optimize efficiency of a variety of interrelated services for example, those ranging from inpatient care to outpatient follow-up care. Large facilities usually have several assistant administrators to aid the top administrator and to handle daily decisions. Assistant administrators may direct activities in clinical areas such as nursing, surgery, therapy, medical records, or health information. In smaller facilities, top administrators handle more of the details of daily operations. For example, many nursing home administrators manage personnel, finance, facility operations, and admissions, and have a larger role in resident care.
Clinical managers have more specific responsibilities than do generalists, and have training or experience in a specific clinical area. For example, directors of physical therapy are experienced physical therapists, and most health information and medical record administrators have a bachelor’s degree in health information or medical record administration. .( :2004) Clinical managers establish and implement policies, objectives, and procedures for their departments; evaluate personnel and work; develop reports and budgets; and coordinate activities with other managers. Whose responsibility is it to ensure those with low health literacy are adequately informed of pertinent medical information? The responsibility must fall to all who provide health care. Most importantly the physician bears a great responsibility to ensure that the patient understands what they are being treated for and what they are required to do, such as medication regimen,
test instructions, and follow-up instructions.
In health care facilities, including hospitals, medical and dental clinics, and offices, health care providers often see their patients at a “teachable moment.” Individualized education and counseling by health care providers at these “moments” in these settings have been shown to have positive and clinically significant effects on behavior in persons with chronic and acute conditions. (1998) Providers must be cognizant of these opportunities and prepared to provide appropriate patient education. Institutions that employ providers also must be cognizant and allow sufficient time and training for patient education and counseling to occur.
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