Health Care Improvement Act of 2021
The Health Care Improvement Act proposes changes to the healthcare marketplace including establishing a public health insurance option, expanding Medicaid and premium assistance, and providing funding for insurance-related costs. The bill proposes seven-year federal assistance expanding Medicaid coverage and seeks to authorize the Department of Health and Human Services to negotiate prescription drug prices through Medicare (Congress.Gov, n.d.). This bill influences nursing practice by advocating for health equity, empowering nurses as patient advocates who understand health disparities.
Pay-for-Performance and Quality Measures
Pay-for-Performance (P4P) provides financial incentives based on pre-specified performance targets. Quality measures assess and compare care quality across organizations and are classified as structural, process, and outcome measures. P4P results in positive patient outcomes by eliminating adverse effects such as high readmission rates. By tying financial rewards to performance, nurses are motivated to provide high-quality services (Jamili et al., 2023). These measures encourage adherence to nursing standards and organizational goals.
Emerging Nursing Leadership Roles
Key roles include the Director of Nursing (overseeing care provision and acting as liaison among medical teams), Clinical Nurse Manager (supervising specific nursing units and ensuring care plan adherence), and Chief Nursing Officer (providing organizational leadership, financial management, technology integration, and care delegation) (Wolters Kluwer, 2024).
Emerging Trends: Telehealth and AI
Telehealth presents opportunities for remote care positions, requiring specific training in technology and HIPAA compliance (Eggerth et al., 2020). Artificial Intelligence is increasingly used for patient appointments and assessments, with the nursing curriculum being modified to incorporate AI for quality services, medical records, and clinical decisions (Buchanan et al., 2020).
References
- Buchanan, C., et al. (2020). Predicted influences of artificial intelligence on nursing domains. JMIR Nursing, 3(1), e23939. https://nursing.jmir.org/2020/1/e23939/
- Congress.Gov. (n.d.). S.352 - Health Care Improvement Act of 2021. https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/352
- Eggerth, A., Hayn, D., & Schreier, G. (2020). Medication management needs ICT-based approaches. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 86(10), 2000-2007. https://bpspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bcp.14045
- Jamili, S., et al. (2023). Comparison of pay-for-performance programs in primary care. BMC Health Services Research, 23(1), 865. https://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12913-023-09841-6
- Wolters Kluwer. (2024). New nurse leader titles and roles. https://www.wolterskluwer.com/
Related: See our value-based care model or nurse advocacy and the CARES Act.