This week’s scenario describes two hospitalized patients who will be discharged with telehealth
services. Telehealth was primarily developed to provide primary care to rural and underserved
patients using audio and video technology (Gajarawala & Pelkowski, 2021). Since its inception,
telehealth services have increased exponentially, especially with the recent COVID-19 pandemic.
Its implementation has increased access to care, helped to decrease and eliminate disparities, and
has become a standard of practice in many healthcare settings. Analyzing this scenario and
evaluating how equity, respect, self-determinism, health literacy, cyclic disadvantage, and
healthcare disparities are essential in predicting and anticipating outcomes, especially in
marginalized patient populations.
Equality and respect have been longstanding issues of concern in healthcare, especially for
specific groups. For example, women and minorities have long suffered from inequality and,
subsequently, disrespect throughout history that has permeated their healthcare, often resulting in
poor outcomes and abysmal care. To achieve safe, high-quality care, healthcare providers must
treat everyone, including those who differ from us in race, belief, gender, sexuality, etc., with
respect and compassion. That respect translates into equal patient care, improving outcomes and
overall care. Additionally, while healthcare providers' attitudes and treatment of the patient can
affect outcomes, the patients themselves must be actively involved in their care. Self-
determination is necessary for positive health outcomes, as the patient is primarily responsible
for implementing the plan of care daily. Improving health outcomes often requires lifestyle
changes such as medication compliance, exercise, smoking or alcohol use cessation, or dietary
improvements, which can be challenging. This can be challenging in marginalized patient
populations lacking resources or health literacy. Because of this, it is essential that patients
remain determined to care for themselves, open to education, and motivated to achieve their
highest level of health by taking responsibility for their well-being. Providers must remain
cognizant of these barriers and do their due diligence to eliminate and reduce them, when
possible, through education and resource allocation. Similarly, cyclic disadvantages and health
disparities suffered by marginalized communities are significant barriers to overcome to achieve
good health outcomes. Because of issues like systemic racism, certain people of racial, ethnic, or
socioeconomic backgrounds are left behind by the healthcare field. Healthcare providers must
consciously address their biases and incorporate social justice into their practice for the benefit of
all patients, regardless of their background. Each of these concepts has real-life implications in
patient care, and depending on whether or not they are addressed and properly managed, they
can have positive or detrimental effects on patient outcomes. Because of this, healthcare
providers must work with their patients to recognize, address, and manage these potential areas
of disadvantage and disparity to promote positive outcomes across all patient populations.
While both patients entered the hospital for vastly different conditions, they both stand to
benefit from telehealth services. One thing they have in common is their reduced access to
healthcare, whether because of where they live or their profession. Mr. Kasich lives in a rural
area 40 miles from the nearest healthcare provider, and Mr. Lang works as a long-haul truck
driver. Because he is on the road frequently, Mr. Lang would benefit from having access to the
same healthcare
services. Telehealth was primarily developed to provide primary care to rural and underserved
patients using audio and video technology (Gajarawala & Pelkowski, 2021). Since its inception,
telehealth services have increased exponentially, especially with the recent COVID-19 pandemic.
Its implementation has increased access to care, helped to decrease and eliminate disparities, and
has become a standard of practice in many healthcare settings. Analyzing this scenario and
evaluating how equity, respect, self-determinism, health literacy, cyclic disadvantage, and
healthcare disparities are essential in predicting and anticipating outcomes, especially in
marginalized patient populations.
Equality and respect have been longstanding issues of concern in healthcare, especially for
specific groups. For example, women and minorities have long suffered from inequality and,
subsequently, disrespect throughout history that has permeated their healthcare, often resulting in
poor outcomes and abysmal care. To achieve safe, high-quality care, healthcare providers must
treat everyone, including those who differ from us in race, belief, gender, sexuality, etc., with
respect and compassion. That respect translates into equal patient care, improving outcomes and
overall care. Additionally, while healthcare providers' attitudes and treatment of the patient can
affect outcomes, the patients themselves must be actively involved in their care. Self-
determination is necessary for positive health outcomes, as the patient is primarily responsible
for implementing the plan of care daily. Improving health outcomes often requires lifestyle
changes such as medication compliance, exercise, smoking or alcohol use cessation, or dietary
improvements, which can be challenging. This can be challenging in marginalized patient
populations lacking resources or health literacy. Because of this, it is essential that patients
remain determined to care for themselves, open to education, and motivated to achieve their
highest level of health by taking responsibility for their well-being. Providers must remain
cognizant of these barriers and do their due diligence to eliminate and reduce them, when
possible, through education and resource allocation. Similarly, cyclic disadvantages and health
disparities suffered by marginalized communities are significant barriers to overcome to achieve
good health outcomes. Because of issues like systemic racism, certain people of racial, ethnic, or
socioeconomic backgrounds are left behind by the healthcare field. Healthcare providers must
consciously address their biases and incorporate social justice into their practice for the benefit of
all patients, regardless of their background. Each of these concepts has real-life implications in
patient care, and depending on whether or not they are addressed and properly managed, they
can have positive or detrimental effects on patient outcomes. Because of this, healthcare
providers must work with their patients to recognize, address, and manage these potential areas
of disadvantage and disparity to promote positive outcomes across all patient populations.
While both patients entered the hospital for vastly different conditions, they both stand to
benefit from telehealth services. One thing they have in common is their reduced access to
healthcare, whether because of where they live or their profession. Mr. Kasich lives in a rural
area 40 miles from the nearest healthcare provider, and Mr. Lang works as a long-haul truck
driver. Because he is on the road frequently, Mr. Lang would benefit from having access to the
same healthcare
