Changing the U.S. Health Care System - Essay Example

Among the other reasons is a lack of diversity in healthcare leadership and workforce. Minorities are only a small portion of the healthcare professionals, though they are a substantial portion of the population (over a quarter of it!). The lack of diversity causes rigidity and lack of flexibility in terms of methods used and changes to the program of healthcare. This leads to bad communication between officials and the minorities, and also in a system which is poorly designed for minorities, meaning that they aren't receiving as much individual attention as they should (Betancourt, 2002).

The way to improve this situation is to pay attention to the special needs of minorities, be aware of their differences from others and develop unique healthcare programs which put an emphasis on what they need, instead of incorporating them in the population. This could mean putting a focus on diseases which are more prevalent in different minorities. This could also mean taking a step back and examining the fallacies of the healthcare system and see how it is possible to change the current situation and apply new, more innovative techniques and approaches of dealing with minorities, whether it is by education doctors more about special communities concerns and needs, encouraging more people that are minorities to work in this profession or any other way possible (Medige, 2002; Koberg, Boss, Sengem & Goodman, 1999).

ReferencesAnderson, R., Rice, T.H, Kominski, G.F, Abdelmonen, A. (2007). Third Edition of Changing the U.S. Health Care System. Published by John Wiley and Sons in 2007.Betancourt, J.R (2002). "CULTURAL COMPETENCE IN HEALTH CARE: EMERGING FRAMEWORKS AND PRACTICAL APPROACHES", Massachusetts General Hospital–Harvard Medical School. Published October 2002.Medige, P. (2002). "Immigrants Rights One Year after 9/11", Colorado Hispanic Colorado Hispanic Healthcare Association, fall 2002 Newsletter.Koberg, C.S., Boss, R.W, Sengem, J.

C & Goodman, E.A (1999). "Antecedents and Outcomes of Empowerment", Group & Organization Management, Vol. 24 (Issue 1), p. 71-91.