External initiatives such as Healthy People 2020 can assist health care delivery systems in implementation of quality based measures to enhance clinical outcomes through providing an extensive framework for action. Despite the fact that such initiatives do not possess statutory authority required in directing activities or holding the health care system accountable and responsible. However, Healthy People Initiative for example, offers a plan meant to improve the country’s health and can be used in health related programs and policies. The aims and targets set by such initiatives can be used to health and issues related to health care on a wide spectrum. They can be applied in assessment and reports on progress in local, state and federal levels. The objectives established by the Healthy People Initiative for example are used reporting health ranks in all the counties. The benchmarking targets identified by Healthy People Initiative are also used during ranking ( Fielding et al, 2012 ). They act as a guiding framework for the health care system to ensure improved clinical outcomes.
The initiatives provide leading health indicators which offer benchmarks needed for assessing populations’ health in the United States. Additionally, the initiatives are designed to determine strategic priorities needed by the healthcare system to address pressing health issues. Upon establishing priorities, quality based measures are implemented which in turn improve clinical outcomes in the healthcare system. The healthcare system can use the initiatives to make plans, inform funding, create priority in health programs/actions, and make materials needed in ensuring that the health care system’s activities are in line with the federal goals ( Fielding et al., 2012 ). Healthy People Initiative for example establishes goals towards achieving robust and effective health care system. In addition, it assists in health behaviors and populations that are healthy at all levels.
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The Healthy People 2010 Initiative had several strengths. It was founded as a process that involved collaboration, science, and guided by data. Another strength of Healthy People 2010 was that the initiative used measurable objectives with the identified targets and had diverse users. Furthermore, the initiative allowed the general public to access data by using internet. Despite the strengths, the initiative had a number of weaknesses. These weaknesses were inability to ensure a balance between encyclopedic strategy and the efforts targeted ( Fielding, 2012 ). In addition, the initiative also faced challenges with integration of target setting and the developed objectives in different areas addressed by the initiative. Issues surrounding development and funding of information/data sources development of execution techniques, provision of technical help, and giving resources to various users were a major weakness/challenge for the initiative. Opportunities lied in the quality of health care and health disparities while the threats were lack of resources and data availability.
The Healthy People 2010 Initiative had identified 969 objectives. According to the evaluation done on the performance of each objective, data for 66 objectives was not available hence they were deleted. Data to monitor another one hundred and seventy objectives was not available hence they considered as developmental objectives. Therefore, progress was assessed for the remaining 733 whose monitoring data was accessible and available. Out of the monitored objectives, 23 percent realized the identified targets, 48 percent moved towards the identified targets, and five percent of the objectives did not show any changes ( Sebelius, Friedden & Sondik, 2012). The remaining 24 percent drifted away from the identified targets. With some of the objectives not realized, this indicates that the Healthy People 2010 Initiative did not absolutely realize it overarching goals. However, the goals to some extent were realized. Lack of data as identified in the SWOT analysis is among the challenges that impacted the tracking of the progress in some of the objectives.
References
Sebelius, K., Friedden, T.R., & Sondik, E.J. (2012). Healthy People 2010: Final Review. US. Department of Health and Human Services, No. 2012-1038. Retrieved from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hpdata2010/hp2010_final_review.pdf
Fielding, J. E., Teutsch, S., & Koh, H. (2012). Health reform and healthy people initiative. American Journal of Public Health , 102 (1), 30- 33. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2011.300312
