Patient Priority and the Cost Effectiveness

Patient Priority and the Cost Effectiveness Introduction Provision of good health services remains a major task for most governments in the world today. As a result, there are strategies, which have been adopted over time to ensure that this task is achieved effectively through improvement of the entire healthcare sector.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Patient Priority and the Cost Effectiveness specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Whilst this is the case, many governments find it difficult to offer quality services to patients especially in cases where the cost exceeds the financial ability of individual patients. As such, health providers find it hard to decide on how to offer quality services at a lower cost, in order to consider the economic status of patients (Plans-Rubià ³, 2012). These cases are common in most parts of the world including but not limited to Saudi Arabia, Africa and Asia. This report will discuss the high cost of medical treatment, in rel ation to giving patients the priority to receive medical services. In order to achieve this task, the report mainly focuses on the situation in Saudi, where a good number of its people experience immense difficulties in sourcing quality medical services. The report is further divided into concise segments, expounding the problem being discussed, causes and possible solutions that have to be adopted to facilitate accessibility to good medical treatment in the region. High cost of medical treatment Due to the high cost of living and the current economic crisis, many countries find it difficult to offer cost-effective and quality medical treatment to most of their citizens. Like other countries in the world, Saudi Arabia has had its share in handling the high cost of medical services to its inhabitants (Almalki, Fitzgerald Clark, 2011). In explaining this trend, it is equally important to underscore how the health sector is financed in the country.Advertising Looking for repor t on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Financing of medical treatment in Saudi Arabia is mainly public, with free services being offered in all public facilities. While the government has continued to support this sector to offer quality services, the truth of the matter is that, the amount allocated per capita has significantly dropped. This is mainly attributed to the fast-growing population coupled with decreasing revenue from the government. Additionally, some analysts believe that duplication of services and unnecessary demand for these services greatly contributes to waste of resources. Due to increasing healthcare cost and compromised quality, the government has adopted measures to tame the situation mainly through privatization of hospitals and introduction of health insurance cover for both citizens and foreigners living in the country (Plans-Rubià ³, 2012). Low income-earners vs. treatments cost As mentioned above, the cost of healthcare has been rising in recent years, a trend that has affected majority of Saudi Arabians. As a result, most people in the country are unable to afford these services, which are considered to be essential to human beings. In addition, service providers find it hard in making the decision between saving the lives of people and compromising the quality of services due to their high cost (Almalki, Fitzgerald Clark, 2011). According to recent survey, the high cost of medical treatment in Saudi Arabia mainly affects low income-earners. This class of people comprises of millions of people, including the country’s citizens and foreigners. Cancer and the costs of chemo therapy Even though all medical procedures and services are costly, it is doubtless that critical cases of illnesses are always demanding. Treatment of cancer therefore falls under this category of health complications that are posing a major challenge to treat due to high cost ass ociated with it.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Patient Priority and the Cost Effectiveness specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In particular, many people are unable to meet the cost for chemotherapy, a procedure that is widely known in cancer treatment (Oxford Business Group, 2008). When applied correctly, the procedure eliminates cancerous cells in a patient’s body. Due to this, cancer treatment is becoming a burden to public hospitals since most patients cannot afford the treatment cost. Cancer drugs cost approximately $100,000 per year in Saudi Arabia and yet not all patients get treated. Since treatment of most illnesses is free in Saudi Arabia, non-Saudis experience a wide range of challenges when looking for treatment. This is because the free medical program in the country excludes treatment of foreigners. Statistics Affordability of healthcare services remains a major challenge to most people in the w orld. This is due to a number of issues including the current economic crisis, poor planning strategies and increasing population against limited resources. Consequently, many countries experience several challenges, including the inability of some people to afford medical treatment (Oxford Business Group, 2008). For instance, the carrying capacity for most hospitals and the low number of doctors, nurses and pharmacists negatively impact the health sector in most countries. Due to low wages and inflation, the number of people who do not have medical insurance cover continues to increase in most parts of the world today. With most governments struggling to subsidize healthcare cost, low salaries and unemployment hamper these efforts since employers are required to pay a section of the total cost.Advertising Looking for report on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For example, only 84% of Americans have medical insurance, which requires their employers to cater for approximately 60% of the insurance cost. Others are insured by the government, military, Medicare or Medicaid. In Saudi Arabia, the country has over 1.5 million doctors with the almost every citizen being able to access sanitation while more than 95% of the population has access to healthy water. Immunization rate has also gone up in the country, to an approximated value of 94% (Oxford Business Group, 2008). Effects of Healthcare on the Economy Despite the fact that there are significant strides that have been made by the ministry of health in Saudi Arabia, there are several challenges that have emerged. Most of these challenges negatively affect the country’s economy (Almalki, Fitzgerald Clark, 2011). Major obstacles revolve around health workforce, changing patterns of some diseases, accessibility of healthcare services, financing and expenditure and changing technology a mong other factors. Due to the increasing population and the above listed challenges, the government is forced to invest heavily in the sector through hiring of more doctors and other health workers together with the expansion of existing health facilities. Poor medical treatment quality As a result of existing limitations in the ministry of health, the quality of services being offered has largely been compromised. This has led to serious and fatal results, where patients are prone to wrong procedures offered in various medical facilities. Poor systems and deaths It is obvious that accidents require urgent attention from medical experts. This is crucial in saving the life of patients who may be in critical conditions. However, there is divided attention among doctors due to the overwhelming number of patients to be attended to (Mansour, 2008). The end result of this is low quality services, which may result into other complications. This situation is also worsened by poor systems a pplied in treatment of critical medical conditions. Among all the associated effects, careless deaths are common in hospitals, resulting from poor services, poor systems and inadequate health attendants in hospitals. Causes This section of the report explores some of the causal factors associated with the above mentioned problems and challenges facing the ministry of health in Saudi Arabia. Lack of governmental supervision Governmental supervision of medical services in Saudi Arabia has immensely affected the quality of services being offered. It is highly limited by the fact that the ministry of health takes charge of all health services in the country. As a result, some regions and public hospitals end up giving services, which have not been verified by government inspectors (Mansour, 2008). This is likely to result into accidents, errors and careless deaths of patients. This management system of the ministry of health does not meet the needs of the ever-growing population of the nation. Price variation Another cause of the above described problem is variation in prices charged by different public hospitals. While people would expect standard charges for medical services in hospitals, it is amazing that most health centers have different prices. This affects service delivery and planning as the government cannot project its expenditure, stemming from inconsistency. In cases where low prices are charged, such hospitals may end up receiving low funding, thus compromising the quality of services being offered. Low standards of treatment Although Saudi Arabia prides on offering free medical services to its people, research reveals that some of the services given in public hospitals are of low standards. This puts majority of patients at the risk of being poorly served. Poor treatment further emanates from the fact that the population of the country is ever-growing against limited resources (Wynbrandt, 2010). This causes straining of resources including healthcar e workers who have to work extra hours in order to serve all the patients. Moreover, the existence of too many non-value adding costs in the ministry of health contributes to poor service delivery. In other words, the government spends on services that do not generate revenue for the state and does not support patient recovery. Poor technology The last cause of most of the challenges being experienced by Saudis ministry of health is lack of technology to handle many health complications in public hospitals. This results into several issues, which threaten the survival of patients, their ease to recover and the efficiency of doctors and other health workers. For instance, lack of technology undermines diagnosis of diseases, resulting into poor medical procedures and prescription of drugs. Low level of technology further hampers handling of emergency cases especially when patients require intensive or specialized care. Solutions There are several strategies, which can be adopted and i mplemented in order to reverse the current healthcare system in Saudi Arabia. This is quite necessary in controlling unnecessary deaths of patients and in improving the overall delivery of medical treatment services. These remedies are broadly divided into two categories: Minimizing costs As mentioned above, the ministry of health heavily spends on treatment services and expenses that largely contribute to the high cost of healthcare, which becomes unaffordable to most people (Walker, 2009). This unnecessary expenditure further affects the quality of services offered, due to lack of priority within the management. These costs should therefore be eliminated to allow more resource allocation towards the improvement of healthcare services. Of great significance is also the reengineering of the healthcare system to meet current demand in the market. This can be achieved through optimum staffing, acquisition of relevant equipment and medicine and improvement of medical procedures. This e nsures that the needs of hospitals and patients are met based on existing situations (Plans-Rubià ³, 2012). Alternative medication Availability of alternative medication is also essential in meeting the needs of different patients depending on their source of income and the ability to meet related costs. As such, low income-earners are given a chance to go for medical treatment without straining their resources (Walston, Al-Harbi Al-Omar, 2008). Additionally, an appropriate bill is supposed to be enacted and implemented in order to address existing challenges and expected future trends in the healthcare system. Governmental solutions Insurance companies In reforming the healthcare system of Saudi Arabia, the government has a role to play in ensuring that quality services are delivered affordably. Firstly, insurance companies should be encouraged to offer medical cover to citizens through payment of premiums by individuals. This would lessen the burden of national medical coverage. Technology Besides insurance, the government ought to appreciate changing technology through the adoption of emerging trends like the use of nanotechnology in the treatment of cancer and other diseases (Walston, Al-Harbi Al-Omar, 2008). Setting of standards in hospitals is equally important especially in regulation of treatment price and the quality of services being offered. This can be well implemented through hiring of enough government supervisors and quality assurers. Lastly, the adoption of Affordable Care Act (ACA) is important to streamline the sector. Recommendations and Conclusion From the above report, it is obvious that the quality and cost effectiveness remain major factors affecting several healthcare systems in the world. Due to high cost of living and inflation, most people are unable to afford quality medical treatment. Additionally, governments are not capable of providing affordable and good medical services to customers due to limited resources and increased po pulation among other factors. Nevertheless, thorough reforms are necessary in Saudis healthcare system in order to provide quality services to its people. References Almalki, M., Fitzgerald, G., Clark, M. (2011). Health care system in Saudi Arabia: an overview. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 17(10), 784-793. Mansour, A. (2008). Factors affecting locational decisions of Saudi health care professionals. Michigan: ProQuest. Oxford Business Group. (2008). The Report: Saudi Arabia 2008. London: The Report: Saudi Arabia 2008. Plans-Rubià ³, P. (2012). Frameworks to Set Priorities for Treatments Based on Cost-Effectiveness and Equity. The Open Pharmaco-economics Health Economics Journal, 4, 1-7. Walker, L. (2009). The right to health in Saudi Arabia. University of Aberdeen. Retrieved from https://www.abdn.ac.uk/ Walston, S., Al-Harbi, Y., Al-Omar, B. (2008). The changing face of healthcare in Saudi Arabia. Ann Saudi Med, 28 (4), 243-250. Wynbrandt, J. (2010). A Brief History of Saudi Arabia. New York City: Facts On File.

Biography of William Bligh, Captain of the HMS Bounty

Biography of William Bligh, Captain of the HMS Bounty William Bligh (September 9, 1754–December 7, 1817) was a British mariner who had the bad luck, timing and temperament to be aboard two ships- HMS Bounty in 1789 and the HMS Director in 1791- on which the crew mutinied. Accounted in his own time as hero, villain, and then a hero, he retired as a Vice-Admiral to the Lambeth district in London and died peacefully. Fast Facts: William Bligh Known For: Captain of the HMS Bounty during the 1789 mutinyBorn: September 9, 1754 in Plymouth (or perhaps Cornwall), EnglandParents: Francis and Jane Pearce BlighDied: London on December 7, 1817 in LondonEducation: Shipped as captains servant at the age of 7Published Works: The Mutiny on Board HMS BountySpouse: Elizabeth Betsy Betham (m. 1781–his death)Children: Seven Early Life William Bligh was born on September 9, 1754, in Plymouth, England (or perhaps Cornwall), the only son of Francis and Jane Bligh. His father was Chief of Customs at Plymouth, and his mother died in 1770; Francis remarried twice more before dying himself in 1780. From an early age, Bligh was destined for a life at sea as his parents enlisted him as a captains servant to Captain Keith Stewart at the age of 7 years and 9 months. That wasnt a full-time position, that meant occasionally sailing aboard HMS Monmouth. This practice was fairly common as it allowed youngsters to quickly accrue the years of service needed in order to take the exam for lieutenant, and for a ships captain to make a bit of income while in port. Returning home in 1763, he quickly proved himself gifted at mathematics and navigation. After his mothers death, he re-entered the navy in 1770, at the age of 16. William Blighs Early Career Though meant to be a midshipman, Bligh was initially carried as an able seaman as there were no midshipmans vacancies on his ship, HMS Hunter. This soon changed and he received his midshipmans warrant the following year and later served aboard HMS Crescent and HMS Ranger. Quickly becoming well known for his navigation and sailing skills, Bligh was selected by explorer Captain James Cook to accompany his third expedition to the Pacific in 1776. After sitting for his lieutenants exam, Bligh accepted Cooks offer to be sailing master aboard HMS Resolution. On May 1, 1776, he was promoted to lieutenant. Expedition to the Pacific Departing in June 1776, Resolution and HMS Discovery sailed south and entered the Indian Ocean via the Cape of Good Hope. During the voyage, Blighs leg was injured, but he quickly recovered. While crossing the southern Indian Ocean, Cook discovered a small island, which he named Blighs Cap in honor of his sailing master. Over the next year, Cook and his men touched at Tasmania, New Zealand, Tonga, Tahiti, as well as explored the southern coast of Alaska and the Bering Straight. The purpose for his operations off Alaska was a failed search for the Northwest Passage. Returning south in 1778, Cook became the first European to visit Hawaii. He returned the following year and was killed on the Big Island after an altercation with the Hawaiians. During the fighting, Bligh was instrumental in recovering Resolutions foremast which had been taken ashore for repairs. With Cook dead, Captain Charles Clerke of Discovery took command and a final attempt to find the Northwest Passage was attempted. Throughout the voyage, Bligh performed well and lived up to his reputation as a navigator and a chart maker. The expedition returned to England in 1780. Return to England Returning home a hero, Bligh impressed his superiors with his performance in the Pacific. On February 4, 1781, he married Elizabeth (Betsy) Betham, the daughter of a customs collector from Manx: he and Betsy would eventually have seven children. Ten days later, Bligh was assigned to HMS Belle Poule as sailing master. That August, he saw action against the Dutch at the Battle of Dogger Bank. After the battle, he was made a lieutenant on HMS Berwick. Over the next two years, he saw regular service at sea until the end of the American War of Independence forced him onto the inactive list. Unemployed, Bligh served as a captain in the merchant service between 1783 and 1787. Voyage of the Bounty In 1787, Bligh was selected as the commander of His Majestys Armed Vessel Bounty and given the mission of sailing to the South Pacific to collect breadfruit trees. It was believed that these trees could be transplanted to the Caribbean to provide inexpensive food for slaves in British colonies. Departing on December 27, 1787, Bligh attempted to enter the Pacific via Cape Horn. After a month of trying, he turned and sailed east around the Cape of Good Hope. The voyage to Tahiti proved smooth and few punishments were given to the crew. As Bounty was rated as a cutter, Bligh was the only officer on board. To permit his men longer periods of uninterrupted sleep, he divided the crew into three watches. In addition, he raised Masters Mate Fletcher Christian to the rank of acting lieutenant so that he could oversee one of the watches. The delay off Cape Horn led to a five-month delay in Tahiti, as they had to wait for the breadfruit trees to mature enough to transport. Over this period, naval discipline began to break down as the crew took native wives and enjoyed the islands warm sun. At one point, three crewmen attempted to desert but were captured. Though they were punished, it was less severe than recommended. Mutiny In addition to the behavior of the crew, several of the senior warrant officers, such as the boatswain and sailmaker, were negligent in their duties. On April 4, 1789, Bounty departed Tahiti, much to the displeasure of many of the crew. On the night of April 28, Fletcher Christian and 18 of the crew surprised and bound Bligh in his cabin. Dragging him on deck, Christian bloodlessly took control of the ship despite the fact that most of the crew sided with the captain. Bligh and 18 loyalists were forced over the side into Bountys cutter and given a sextant, four cutlasses, and several days food and water. Voyage to Timor As Bounty turned to return to Tahiti, Bligh set course for the nearest European outpost at Timor. Though dangerously overloaded, Bligh succeeded in sailing the cutter first to Tofua for supplies, then on to Timor. After sailing 3,618 miles, Bligh arrived at Timor after a 47-day voyage. Only one man was lost during the ordeal when he was killed by natives on Tofua. Moving on to Batavia, Bligh was able to secure transport back to England. In October 1790, Bligh was honorably acquitted for the loss of Bounty and records show him to have been a compassionate commander who frequently spared the lash. Subsequent Career In 1791, Bligh returned to Tahiti aboard HMS Providence to complete the breadfruit mission. The plants were successfully delivered to the Caribbean without any trouble. Five years later, Bligh was promoted to captain and given command of HMS Director. While aboard, his crew mutinied as part of the greater Spithead and Nore mutinies which occurred over the Royal Navys handling of pay and prize money. Standing by his crew, Bligh was commended by both sides for his handling of the situation. In October of that year, Bligh commanded Director at the Battle of Camperdown and successfully fought three Dutch ships at once. Leaving Director, Bligh was given HMS Glatton. Participating in the 1801 Battle of Copenhagen, Bligh played a key role when he elected to continue flying Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelsons signal for battle rather than hoisting Admiral Sir Hyde Parkers signal to break off the fight. In 1805, Bligh was made governor of New South Wales (Australia) and tasked with ending the illegal rum trade in the area. Arriving in Australia, he made enemies of the army and several of the locals by fighting the rum trade and aiding distressed farmers. This discontent led to Bligh being deposed in the 1808 Rum Rebellion. Death After spending over a year collecting evidence, he returned home in 1810  and was vindicated by the government. Promoted to rear admiral in 1810, and vice-admiral fours years later, Bligh never held another sea command. He died while visiting his doctor on Bond Street in London on December 7, 1817. Sources Alexander, Caroline. The Bounty: The True Story of the Mutiny on the Bounty. New York: Penguin Books, 2003.Bligh, William and Edward Christian. The Bounty Mutiny. New York: Penguin, 2001.Daly, Gerald J. Captain William Bligh in Dublin, 1800-1801. Dublin Historical Record 44.1 (1991): 20–33. OMara, Richard. â€Å"Voyages of the Bounty.† The Sewanee Review 115.3 (2007):462–469.  Salmond, Anne. Bligh: William Bligh in the South Seas. Santa Barbara: University of California Press, 2011.