Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene - Essay Example

The US Healthcare System The US Healthcare System The US healthcare system remains one of the most efficient healthcare practices globally, for instance managed to embrace the modern mechanisms of health sciences including molecular diagnostics and technology. At the same time, the system is patient-centered, implying that it puts more emphasis on the needs of the patient (Denton, 2013). One of the most significant players, whose input has made such a dream turn into reality, is the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. This essay aims to provide more insight into the department, with special emphasis on some of its objectives as well as how it works to accomplish them. In like manner, the essay sheds light on the budgetary aspects of the department, the way in which it offers its services, and how it takes care of its employees interests. As is the case with any other health care facility, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has always been driven by the need to improve the health standards and well-being of the US population, as well as of any individual who might be in need of such services. To ensure that their employees do not take their eyes off the goal, the organization has always made their daily activities revolve around its objectives, which include making healthcare services faster to access, as well as enhancing the quality of services that they offer to patients, notably the poor and those who suffer from long-term conditions. In an attempt to ensure that it always accomplishes its objectives and keeps its promises to the public, the department has put in place several avenues (Koop, 2004). For starters, it has embraced some of the best medical equipment, which it uses to provide high quality and faster health services to the population. Similarly, it is has put in place sections within it that assess various parameters of health such us environmental health, wellness and prevention and behavioral health. Similarly, the institution has created a section that assesses its performance and puts forward recommendations on how certain aspects of health can be improved. Failing to acknowledge the contribution of all those who show passion, dedication and sacrifice to make our lives better and provide us with a second chance, would be an insult to various sections of our workforce (Denton, 2013). Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is an optimal healthcare provider; this is so majorly because overtime, it has always lived to accomplish its objectives. It has always done this by providing direction and strategies on how health and social care can be improved, as well as setting standards, and allowing other organs of legislation to set the required standards of practice. An example of direction is the present situation, where the department along with other stakeholders in the health sector has put everything in place to ensure that the deadly Ebola virus, which has taken many lives in the West African region does not cause harm to the citizenry of the US. I recognize that the department might have made some uncalled for strategies in the past, some of which were not parallel to its objectives, nevertheless, I am of the opinion that such was were arrived at, with the US national interests at heart, and that they can only be made better in the days to come. The Federal Government of the US is the primary source of budgeting for the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Given that health is a key aspect of the human life, the government has over the years not shied away from funding the agency. Going by the budgetary appropriations, for example, the institution normally allocates a figure of about $4,104,089,470 on general activities and that of $1,531,249,987 on special cases (Denton, 2013). The State Department of Health, together with the Bureau of Medical Services and that of Special Health, always provides the funding. It is encouraging to note the fact that the institution, has always been at the forefront of transparency, as it has always given accounts of its financial operations to the respective stakeholders, as well as the legislature for purposes of scrutiny. Social inequalities have always proved a challenge to the provision of quality healthcare services across various parts of the US. Moreover, the poor have always been highly susceptible to infectious diseases because of the low-living standards they go through. The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has taken this into consideration and just as I mentioned in the section above, it has always taken keen interest on the poor who cannot afford the services being offered as well as those who suffer from long-term conditions that require high level of monitoring(Denton, 2013). One mechanism through which the organization has always looked after the poor is by providing them with high-quality healthcare but at an affordable cost. Similarly, they have always collaborated with several donors and well-wishers from the larger population, who come in and provide help whenever need arises. Such people have similarly been given priority when it comes to government support. Moreover, that has always kept them going and provided them with another chance to live. Such strategies have always proved beneficial because some conditions such as cancer and diabetes, can prove challenging to manage, unless one has appropriate health coverage or is supported by community-based treatment (Kavaler, 2003). The section above has partly shed light on how the Maryland Department of Health carries out its operations with the aims of accomplishing its objectives. One clear thing is the fact that the employees within the organization work as a team respect their profession and honor the oaths that they took when beginning their professions. This in a way points to the fact that most of our health sciences colleges are doing a perfect job in providing the workforce with excellent employees. At the same time, it is far-reaching to acknowledge that the management of the department always looks after the interests of their employees (Denton, 2013). This is always done by caring for them, establishing a good relationship with them, which is not casual, but professional, creating for them new opportunities that come with new experiences among others. Elected officials always play a huge role in the permanent administration of the department as the heads of the institution are appointed upon recommendations from the senate, an event that justifies how crucial the facility is in ensuring that the US population remains healthy. The administration officers oversee the daily operations of the facility and report to the board of the facility and the Department of Health. References Denton, B. T. (2013). Handbook of Healthcare Operations Management: Methods and Applications. New York, NY: Springer New York. Kavaler, F., & Spiegel, A. D. (2003). Risk management in health care institutions. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Koop, C. Everett, M.D. (2004). 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