The Practical Role of Policy

What has health policy done for me lately?

Developing health care policy is often an exercise in  balancing competing interests, many of them political. Policy is often  the product of elaborate negotiations between many interested parties.  It is sometimes difficult for individuals to see the connection between  health care policies and their own personal health. In short, people  ask, "What does health policy mean to me?"

This Application will give you an opportunity to delve a  little deeper into the practical role of policy, by examining a health  policy issue that is of particular interest to you.

To prepare for this Application,  select an acute or chronic health issue (such as motorcycle  accident-related head trauma or type 2 diabetes) that is of interest to  you. Using credible websites, research this issue  to analyze a key policy related to the health issue you selected.  Select at least three articles about the policy to use in your paper.

To complete this Application, write a 3- to 4-page paper that addresses the following:

• Describe the health care issue you selected. Explain  why this issue is important, in terms of access, affordability,  quality, and safety.
• Identify a health policy that is related to the  health issue you selected. Explain its intended purpose and indicate the  source of the policy (i.e., state law, federal law, accreditation  organization, etc.)
• Cite and summarize the articles you selected.
• Analyze what the literature says about the impact of the policy, in terms of cost, affordability, access, quality, and safety.

Your written assignments must follow APA guidelines. Be  sure to support your work with specific citations from this week's  Learning Resources and additional scholarly sources, as appropriate.