Kim Clayton HLT-205
April 17, 2016
Instructor: Deborah Conway

Government Agencies and Health Policy

The United States Health Care system has evolved from the home visit by the town doctor concept, to a more complex system of regulatory agencies, policies, rules and regulations that govern the practice and art of medicine. It is a system in which billions of dollars have been budgeted and dedicated to ensuring the country is delivering affordable, quality care. The ultimate goal of the U.S. system is making sure quality care is accessible to its consumers and is value added care that will result in clinical outcomes aimed at reducing the nation’s mortality rate and increasing or extending the average life expectancy. In …show more content…
Those factors include: physical activity; nutrition; sexual conduct (safe and unsafe); alcohol use within a community; ethniticiy; income levels; domestic violence; marital status; air and water quality control; and housing. Although each of these factors are given detailed and specific attention as it relates to public health, the agency is responsible determining the most effective way to address those issues that could burden community with disease and lead to a disastrous outcome. “Having an agreed-upon common set of outcomes and determinants can facilitate shared understanding of the factors that influence health and assist in galvanizing local partners to work collaboratively toward community health improvement (Institute of Medicine, 2011). Health care assessments identify the needs of a community and potential health threats. The data collected during these assessments provide the necessary information needed to create policies, laws, and regulations. Policies are often created to resolve problems or disputes. Policies also set parameters in which state public health agencies can use in the development of health initiatives and the allocation of funding to support those initiatives. The CDC’s role in policy making extends to screening, scoping, assessing risks and benefits and developing recommendations that will promote the best health outcomes and