Article Review 3: Rheumatology Care
Article 3 Review: Health Needs Assessment: Rheumatology Care
Monica Bagous
HLTH 630
Liberty University
April 14, 2024
Abstract:
In their time of need, patients with rheumatoid disorders require assistance. So that the
drugs can effectively slow disease advancement, thereby minimizing its morbidity, it seems
important give treatments. Unblood recipients have the right to equal access in all medical areas
as their housed brothers and sisters who survive on impressions of privilege do. And the
resources they will need at least must be on the spot, ready to hand. There are indeed adjustments
that could be made to serve these communities. Public health access to care is a staggering
problem. All kinds of ailments can be produced by rheumatoid diseases. Just one person in
public health can take the initiative and bring about change for underserved communities. This
will mean that the next generation may inherit an entirely different type of health care.
Keywords: Rheumatology, community health, health care
Article Review 3: Rheumatology Care
Introduction
The goal of our study was to figure out how to get a rheumatologist. A community needs
assessment automatically provides community leaders with a snapshot of current policies,
systems and environmental changes that are ongoing at their place of dwelling as well offering
them room for improvement. Using this data, communities can plot the way toward healthier
living by developing plans to create positive and sustainable change throughout their area.
1Investigating is the first step in discovering whether there is a health problem or not. When an
investigation is through, it can help us to decide what we should do next for better serving our
patients.
Methodology
A 40-question questionnaire was drawn up as part of this specific research. This
questionnaire was then sent to Massachusetts physicians' medical director in the 77-community
health center. A qualitative research method was used for the study on General Medicine. "The
first part of the survey process now involved identifying the CHCs in Massachusetts and
federally supported facilities. Using lists provided by 50 different organizations or associations
such as the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers and every possible Federal
sponsorship channel for even such a place as this which isn't on anyone's list".2 From among
these, 105 health centers made our sample list: health centers offering adult internal medicine
care, with a stand-alone facility, and a designated medical director were personally contacted
over the phone to verify their current status." Eventually, the 77 medical directors came from 77
points because there were some overlaps in locales with two different directors at one time. The
work of this article involved meticulous literature review. We had to find every facility and
determine which ones had their office in the same location. All stages of the process were
Article Review 3: Rheumatology Care
utilitarian as well as strict. I believe in the value of community assessment in relation to
accessibility. Underserved communities must have access as well." The article does not throw
any surprises at the reader. It is important to know too where these facilities were located. They
were either urban or rural. "For each participating CHC we determined urban-rural location
using the CHC’s ZIP code and U.S. Census housing data".2 Understanding whence these
participating facilities came might help decide whether there is a need in that community.
Results
Thirty-six percent of physician medical directors answered the survey question. Out of
seventy-seven surveys that went out, only thirty-six responded back. It does break down further.
“Of these, 24 described their CHC as federally qualified, and 3 as federally-qualified look-alike
centers, both of which are reimbursement designations from the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services. Look-alike centers meet all the requirements of federally qualified health
centers, notably location in an underserved area, provision of primary care services, and a sliding
fee scale, but they do not receive funding from a specific federal grant. Among respondents, 7
were owned by academic medical centers, and 24 are affiliated with an academic institution, and
10 admit patients to teaching hospitals. 26 centers were in federally designated medically
underserved areas. On average, 91% of the housing in the CHC ZIP codes was classified urban .
These numbers helped with the data set to if help was needed. “Of the two CHCs with on-site
rheumatologists, one reported having greater than 30 SLE and RA patients, 81–100% of whom
see a rheumatologist. Most respondents felt that their CHC physicians would neither start a RA
patient on a DMARD (86%) nor a SLE patient on an immunosuppressant (94%). However, 58%
of director’s stated that their physicians would refill a DMARD and 50% would continue an
immunosuppressant”. This is very interesting in the fact that the physicians would refill the
Article Review 3: Rheumatology Care
prescription but not prescribe. It is very important to open for language barriers, patients with no
insurance as well as other public health problems. This can be appropriate addressed and will
help facilitate proper treatment plans as well as other optimal outcomes for these underserved
patients. “Before you conduct a community needs assessment you should have a clear
understanding of the different cultural groups within a community and how to best work to solve
these community issues.”1 Understand cultural aspects can greatly enhance or hinder your
research.
Conclusions and Recommendations
In conclusion, the article summarized that underserved population needs desperate help.
As health care professionals, it is our responsibility to help others despite annual income.
Sometimes, we think that all hospitals, healthcare’s just care about money. Yes and no. Money is
the cause of the main driving forces, but we cannot deny the fact that giving a person good
quality access to care is also critically essential. In my opinion, there must be a well-rounded
reason. My recommendation to this article will be a windshield survey. It is very helping toward
the proper treatment for the underserved communities too. Also, there should be interpreters to
help with language barriers. That would also add much value to the facility and features of health
care. The United States is a melting pot with many groups of people. It is critical for these people
already to know what is happening with their health care. My last recommendation is that more
questionnaires should have been sent. This would have helped ascertain a better data trend. A
potential public health problem addressed in this article is community health assessment. The
feature and feature of a health assessment within a community consultant; this could help
researchers form a better picture. It includes associating rheumatoid diseases with various
barriers and how communities help.
Article Review 3: Rheumatology Care
Discussion
“Our study also discussed potential interventions that could be taken to improve patients’
access to quality rheumatology care. The directors “strongly preferred face-to-face strategies like
a patient navigator” who could coordinate care by a patient’s individual needs, “rather than long-
distance telemedicine”. “However, it is very interesting because technically telemedicine could
help a lot of different patients. There are many different patients that cannot make it to their
appointments because of different reasons, and that would be a benefit to them. The present
study was relevant in providing us with how to best provide access to care for our vulnerable
populations. This study supports the evidence needed for future studies taking place in the public
health industry. I believe patients should be advocates for their own health so getting the overall
idea would be in your best interest. “The secondary patient outcomes for this study were
patient’s physical function, psychological status, pain level, social interaction, and knowledge of
the disease”. Your provider should always explain your disease process to you to keep you fully
aware. This will help lessen some of the anxiety that you are feeling in regard to the fact that
your disease will just be progressively worse. This study is a valid and reliable study. Even
though only 36 percent of surveys were returned, it still yielded relevant data that matters in this
case quality of the study. Access to care is a great part of public health. Like a person needs to
have access to care to help with one’s disease processes, slowly, everything could reveal. For a
patient to be a priority, a rheumatoid disorder needs to be taken care of the sooner the better.
“The disease has no pattern, and the overall distress varies in each patient”. Patients need to be
educated about it. The goal of a community assessment is to make the overall public health issue
and come to some sort of resolution.
Article Review 3: Rheumatology Care
References
1. Community Needs Assessment. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC). 2013.https://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/healthprotection/fetp/training_modules/
15/communit y-needs_pw_final_9252013.pdf.
2. Feldman CH, Hicks LS, Norton TL, Freeman E, Solomon DH. Assessing the Need for
Improved Access to Rheumatology Care. Journal of Clinical Rheumatology.
2013;19(7):361-366. doi:10.1097/rhu.0b013e3182a6a490.
3. Adebajo A. A study evaluating the effect of Educational Needs Assessment Tool
(ENAT) focused patient education, on health outcomes in patients with rheumatoid
arthritis. http://isrctnorg/>. 2012. doi:10.1186/isrctn51523281.
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)
