Hierarchy of Power in Australia HealthCare System †Free Samples

Question: Discuss about the Hierarchy of Power in Australia HealthCare System. Answer: Introduction A 2017 study by a group of America researchers on the 11 different health care models that are used by developed countries around the world revealed that Australias healthcare system is one of the best in the world (Hierarchystructure, 2017). Australias healthcare system is regarded as one of the most comprehensive, accessible and affordable systems in the world. The system is managed by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing whose mandate is to ensure that all Australians have access to important family and health services. Health care services in the country are predominantly provided by hospitals that are either government or private operated and by private medical practitioners. The country also has Medicare which is a universal health care system that subsidizes most of the medical costs for Australian citizens in Australia (Hierarchystructure, 2017). The success of the countrys Medicare system is largely attributed to the advanced nature of its private health insurance system. Despite the significant level of success achieved by the healthcare system, the country has witnessed a rise in the number of individuals who believe that hierarchy and power are intrinsic to the current health care system (Jamieson et al., 2015). Proponents of this school of thought argue that under the current health care system, the powerful members of the society obtain better healthcare services than the less powerful members. They believe that a persons status in society plays an integral role in determining the type of health care he/she gets. This objective of this paper is to provide a discussion on the argument that hierarchy and power are intrinsic in Australias healthcare system. The paper will seek to determine the validity of the argument and its impact on the Countrys health care system. The paper will also seek to investigate why proponents of this argument believe it to be so. Sociology and the Role of Perspectives The level of success obtained by Australias healthcare system is made possible due to the social life in the country. A number of studies have made it evident that an individuals social life is capable of significantly influencing his/her health. One such study was conducted by the University of North Carolina and proved that individuals with close supportive relationships have better physical health outcomes than those without. The study also proved that individuals with positive social life respond better to health care than those without. To obtain a better understanding of how society influences individuals, it is important to review the primary theoretical perspectives as they provide a paradigm view of the society. The perspectives are symbolic interactionism, functionalism and conflict theory. Symbolic interactionism requires health care practitioners to regard the symbols and details of a persons everyday life when providing the individual with care. The functionalist perspective holds that all societal aspects are interdependent and they contribute to the functionality of the society as a whole. The conflict perspective holds that society is in a state of constant competition for scarce resources and that the wealthy in society are able to control the weak. The conflict perspective covers the concept of hierarchy and power in determining the type of health care afforded to individuals. Under this perspective, individuals who are wealthy in society obtain better health care than those who are not. Biomedical Model The biomedical model is a medical perspective that is used by health care providers in the diagnosis of disease and the delivery of care. Under the biomedical model health care is provided to an individual based primarily on the persons biological processes. The model does not consider an individuals living conditions or lifestyle but instead focusing on the illness with the objective of returning the individuals physical health to its re illness state. The cause of the illness is not placed at the center of the model thereby eliminating the concept of hierarchy and power in the delivery of health care. The biomedical model of health care has a number of advantages and disadvantages. Some of its major advantages include the creation of advances in research and technology, provides for the treatment of a number of common problems, extends life expectancy, and improves life quality. Some of the disadvantages associated with the biomedical model include it is costly due to the fact that it relies on technology and professional health care workers, not all medical conditions can be treated through this model, it does not always promote the health of the person. Individuals who argue that Australias health care system is integrated with hierarchy and power cite the fact that the countrys health care system is based on biomedical model which costly makes it susceptible to influence by those who are in power. Hierarchy and Power The term hierarchy and power can be used both in a social context and in a medical context. Under the social context, the term hierarchy and power refers to how the wealthy members of society are able to acquire better health care services than the disadvantaged members of the society. This concept of hierarchy and power is greatly supported by the conflict social perspective discussed above. Elements of this form of hierarchy and power are evident within the Australian health care context where individuals who are of a higher economic and social standing are able to afford better health insurance coverage and as a result of this obtain better health care services. The second context of health care and power that this paper will focus on is that found within healthcare setting which focuses greatly on the structure of healthcare organizations. The term hierarchy and power is usually associated with a medical practitioners status, ego, position within the organization and in some context financial means. Under thus context the term refers to the gap that exists between different levels in the health care system. A number of Australian health care workers have complained that the concept of hierarchy and power is largely evident in the one sided movement of communication within the sector. The countries health care system is faulted for focusing only on the following of orders and established protocols with less emphasis on identifying solutions jointly as a team. Under the concept of hierarchy and power in the health care system, health care practitioners and patients are leveled based on their respective role in the organizations. The hierarchical structure is laced in a such a manner that the opinions if the healthcare provider who is regarded as the expert in the medical sector are provided with more importance than the opinions of the patient. This system is criticized for being oppressive of patients who occupy the lowest position within the hierarchy. Opposition to the system of health care is largely due to the fact that it does not provide for patient participation in the treatment process. Under the medical context power is also used to refer to professional power which is the expertise and capability of a medical practitioner to perform a particular task in a manner that is appropriate It is argued in most quarters that professional power for medical practitioners stems from the health care organization that they belong to, their personal influence, self presentation and their personal identity. Professional Power in the health care sector is generated from both outside and within the system. The medical practitioners responsibilities, roles, skills and knowledge account for the amount of power he has (Griscti et al., 2017). This implies that the more skills, knowledge, responsibilities and roles ascribed to a particular medical practitioner, the more powerful he/she is. The more powerful a medical practitioner is, the higher up he/she is within the health care systems hierarchical tree. This model of health care is criticized by most practitioners as it Places service users at a great disadvantage. This is in the sense that the health care practitioner utilizes his expertise in the matter in alleviating the health statues of the service user. Number of Players within the health care sector argue for the empowerment of service users to provide them with responsibility in the decision making process of their medical care. The context of Power within the health care system is covered under two theories namely expert Power theory and legitimate Power theory. The expert Power theory holds that Power is obtained from having specialist skills and knowledge in a particular field (Griscti et al., 2017). The legitimate Power theory holds that a Person in authority is able to influence people who are not in authority (Griscti et al., 2017). Implications (Connections to Australian Health Care System) As indicated in the introduction section of the paper, Australia has one of the greatest health care systems in the world. The medical facilities in the country are not only highly professional but also well organized and managed. The Australian medical system abides by a stringent hierarchical structure with regards to the placement of medical staff and the provision of medical care to patients. The medical staff does not consist only of doctors and nursing but also members of the administrative staff and executives who occupy the lower levels of the organization. The highest level in Australias medical hierarchy system is that of the senior medical officer which consists of the general practitioners who are followed by staff practitioners and the career hospital doctors (The tyranny of excessive medical hierarchy, 2017). Under the senior medical officers are the visiting medical officers. The visiting medical officers supersede the registrars who in turn supersede the principle house officers who supersede the residential medical officers. The residential medical officers consist of the senior house officers, junior house officers and the intern respectively (The tyranny of excessive medical hierarchy, 2017). The senior medical officers occupy the top most level of Australias health care system in under the hospital context. The SMOs are either appointed as non specialist or general officers in the staff grade positions. The non-specialists officers refer to those individuals who may not have the qualifications to work in a specific field but operate in any specialist under specialist supervision. The SMOs who operate under the staff grade position are individuals who maybe qualified in different medical fields or jurisdictions (The tyranny of excessive medical hierarchy, 2017). This title is largely occupied by international medical graduates who maintain the title under their fellowship that is conferred upon them by the relevant Australian Specialty University of the medical college. The major sub divisions under this SMO category are the general practitioners, staff practitioners and the career hospital doctors. The visiting medical occupy the second tier of the hospitals hierarchy system. They are specialists who operate their own private hospitals or act as general practitioners who provide consultation services at either public or private hospitals. The third tier of the hierarchical ladder is occupied by registrars. These are doctors who have been gained acceptance into a specialists training program that is accredited with a particular nominated college in a specific clinical specialty. The principle house officers occupy the next level of the hierarchical structure and consist of individuals who are in the fourth year of their post graduation studies. The PHOs are also given minor responsibilities in the hospitals with regards to the treatment patients. Based on this the PHO can be described as a medical practitioner who isnt going through an accredited study course that will result in him or her obtaining a higher medical degree (The Hidden Power Within the Healthcare Hierarchy, 2016). In some hospitals in Australia, the position is seen to be equivalent to that of the registrar. The final step in the hierarchical ladder is the resident medical officers. They include the senior house officer who is a medical practitioner in his 3rd year of post graduate education (Hierarchystructure, 2017). The junior house officer is a medical practitioner in his/her 2nd year of post graduate education (The Hidden Power Within the Healthcare Hierarchy, 2016). The intern is the last level of the hierarchy within the Australian hospital organization. He/she is a medical practitioner in his/her first year of post graduate education. The hospital hierarchical system is integrated seamlessly with the entire health sectors ladder system where the patients are placed below the interns with regards to the provision of care (Hierarchystructure, 2017). The lowest tier in the ladder is the patients family who in most instances do not play any role in the patients treatment process. A number of debates have been held as to whether or not the stringent heirarchial system within the countrys health care system is the major contributor to its success or not. Individuals who argue for the system hold that through the stringent heirarchail system, medical practitioners are empowered to effectively execute the task assigned to tem therefore enhancing the quality of health care provided (Crowe, Clarke, Brugha, 2017). Those who argue against these systems indicate that the patient is unable to participate effectively in the treatment process thereby hurting the effectiveness of the process (Kuokkanen, Leino?Kilpi, 2000). In a study conducted on Australias health care system, it was raveled that a significant percentage of patients confessed to being part of a number of experiences where their contributions are not taken into account due to the fact that the countrys current health care system does not provide for it and advice of the health care provider who is the expert prevails over the voice of the patient. The study also found that the hospitals hierarchical structure worked to support this dynamic as nurses where privileged as gate keepers of the service and excluded the patients input when creating the nursing notes or either through self regulation (Gardner et al., 2017). However, the study concluded that the a significant percentage of the patients who underwent through this experience indicate that even though they found it distasteful, the received quality service from the health care provider. Overall Critical Depth In summary it is logical to conclude that the hierarchy and power are intrinsic elements of Australias medical system and that the success of the system lies in the elements. By stringently regulating the health care system, the country has been able to control the quality of service provided by the hospital thereby ensuring increased welfare. Hierarchy and power within the health care system can also be categorized in two (The Hidden Power Within the Healthcare Hierarchy, 2016). The first category is that within the hospital and represents the statues of the medical practitioners and the second category is that of the relationship between medical practitioners and patients. The heirarchail system of the hospital has also served to make it easier for the allocation of responsibilities within the hospital and the provision of pay (Liberatore, Nydick, 2008). The nurses also play a significant role in managing the hierarchy system as they play a gate keeper role in ensuring that communication flow is unidirectional (The Hidden Power Within the Healthcare Hierarchy, 2016). Despite its numerous advantages, one of the key disadvantages of sticking to a stringent hierarchical system, the Australian health care system has served to eliminate patient participation in the treatment process (Liberatore, Nydick, 2008). This has led to a rise in the number of readmissions as more and more patients are unable to continue with care after leaving the hospital either due to unclear instructions or failure to understand the instructions. Another major disadvantage of the system is that it has resulted in internal conflict between hospital staff and those who occupy the lower tiers of the hierarchical ladder feel that their input into matters affecting health care are not taken into consideration when making decisions. In conclusion the hierarchical and power elements of Australias health care have both positive and negative sides. References Griscti, O., Aston, M., Warner, G., Martin?Misener, R., McLeod, D. (2017). Power and resistance within the hospital's hierarchical system: the experiences of chronically ill patients.Journal of clinical nursing,26(1-2), 238-247. Hierarchystructure. (2017, October 04). 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