May Mallahzadeh ⏤ 2024
May Mallahzadeh ⏤ 2024
From healthcare system to healthcare culture
From healthcare system to healthcare culture
As you know, the healthcare system is one of the most complex systems in any country. It involves numerous organizations and individuals, with intricate connections and networks layered across various structures. Mapping out this system is a challenging task, with different perspectives and lenses yielding different interpretations.
As you know, the healthcare system is one of the most complex systems in any country. It involves numerous organizations and individuals, with intricate connections and networks layered across various structures. Mapping out this system is a challenging task, with different perspectives and lenses yielding different interpretations.
Looking at the examples above, you can grasp the complexity of the healthcare system, which makes it challenging to create a clear and comprehensible representation. To address this, I have created a simplified version of the map that highlights the hierarchy within the healthcare system while maintaining clarity and ease of understanding. This map is the result of my learning and explorations within the healthcare field, incorporating insights from people's perspectives and experiences.
Looking at the examples above, you can grasp the complexity of the healthcare system, which makes it challenging to create a clear and comprehensible representation. To address this, I have created a simplified version of the map that highlights the hierarchy within the healthcare system while maintaining clarity and ease of understanding. This map is the result of my learning and explorations within the healthcare field, incorporating insights from people's perspectives and experiences.
To provide an overview of the healthcare system map, it all begins at the top with governance, which is managed by both government and independent organizations. Examples of these can be seen under each section. Independent organizations are divided into policymakers and accrediting bodies.
Governance oversees care delivery in hospitals, with providers operating under the guidelines and governance of these institutions. At the bottom of the map are the patients, who visit providers with their questions and healthcare needs. However, much of the care they receive comes through self-care and self-education due to limitations such as visit times and various barriers to accessing healthcare. Patients often face health discrimination, making it harder for them to receive the care they need.
Key players impacting patients include pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, and research organizations. Research organizations' activities are closely linked with governmental bodies, as they often receive funding based on the questions prioritized by these entities. Researchers might or might not involve providers and patients in their studies, and the lack of diverse participants can limit the research's applicability.
Patients have a strong dependence on insurance companies, needing to navigate benefits and maintain constant contact, which significantly influences their healthcare journey. Despite this, insurance companies often do not involve patients in creating better access and experiences. Insurance companies also have their own connections with governance, affecting coverage and care processes.
Pharmaceutical companies play a crucial role in treatment and, consequently, in patients' healthcare journeys. Despite the strong influence of clinical research, patients are not typically involved in the pharmaceutical decision-making process. Pharmaceutical companies, however, maintain robust connections with government organizations and governance.
This map highlights the interdependent relationships within the healthcare system, emphasizing the need for a more inclusive and patient-centered approach.
This is what I mean when I refer to the healthcare system. A system is a set of interconnected components or elements that work together to form a complex whole. As long as different components perform their roles and interact as planned, the system functions. (Bertalanffy, 1968) Systems typically consist of multiple parts that contribute to their overall behavior and are designed or evolved to achieve specific goals. They also have defined boundaries that distinguish them from their environment. The healthcare system encompasses all these characteristics, with the primary goal of providing healthcare to patients and improving outcomes.
However, this doesn't necessarily mean that people are satisfied with the care they receive or that their questions are adequately answered. While healthcare functions as a complex system, the real question is whether it effectively serves those most impacted by it.
But what if we viewed this map through the lens of healthcare culture instead of a healthcare system? Imagine a healthcare culture that values diverse expertise, centers on those affected by decisions, and removes hierarchical barriers, enabling everyone to collaborate effectively. In this dynamic culture, individuals interact and perceive the world in ways that adapt to new circumstances and influences over time. Such a shift from system to culture could fundamentally transform how healthcare is delivered and experienced, fostering a more inclusive and responsive approach to care.
To provide an overview of the healthcare system map, it all begins at the top with governance, which is managed by both government and independent organizations. Examples of these can be seen under each section. Independent organizations are divided into policymakers and accrediting bodies.
Governance oversees care delivery in hospitals, with providers operating under the guidelines and governance of these institutions. At the bottom of the map are the patients, who visit providers with their questions and healthcare needs. However, much of the care they receive comes through self-care and self-education due to limitations such as visit times and various barriers to accessing healthcare. Patients often face health discrimination, making it harder for them to receive the care they need.
Key players impacting patients include pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, and research organizations. Research organizations' activities are closely linked with governmental bodies, as they often receive funding based on the questions prioritized by these entities. Researchers might or might not involve providers and patients in their studies, and the lack of diverse participants can limit the research's applicability.
Patients have a strong dependence on insurance companies, needing to navigate benefits and maintain constant contact, which significantly influences their healthcare journey. Despite this, insurance companies often do not involve patients in creating better access and experiences. Insurance companies also have their own connections with governance, affecting coverage and care processes.
Pharmaceutical companies play a crucial role in treatment and, consequently, in patients' healthcare journeys. Despite the strong influence of clinical research, patients are not typically involved in the pharmaceutical decision-making process. Pharmaceutical companies, however, maintain robust connections with government organizations and governance.
This map highlights the interdependent relationships within the healthcare system, emphasizing the need for a more inclusive and patient-centered approach.
This is what I mean when I refer to the healthcare system. A system is a set of interconnected components or elements that work together to form a complex whole. As long as different components perform their roles and interact as planned, the system functions. (Bertalanffy, 1968) Systems typically consist of multiple parts that contribute to their overall behavior and are designed or evolved to achieve specific goals. They also have defined boundaries that distinguish them from their environment. The healthcare system encompasses all these characteristics, with the primary goal of providing healthcare to patients and improving outcomes.
However, this doesn't necessarily mean that people are satisfied with the care they receive or that their questions are adequately answered. While healthcare functions as a complex system, the real question is whether it effectively serves those most impacted by it.
But what if we viewed this map through the lens of healthcare culture instead of a healthcare system? Imagine a healthcare culture that values diverse expertise, centers on those affected by decisions, and removes hierarchical barriers, enabling everyone to collaborate effectively. In this dynamic culture, individuals interact and perceive the world in ways that adapt to new circumstances and influences over time. Such a shift from system to culture could fundamentally transform how healthcare is delivered and experienced, fostering a more inclusive and responsive approach to care.
The map above is my vision of an ideal healthcare culture, designed to achieve an equitable healthcare future. In this model, the silos between patients, providers, and researchers are taken apart. Patients, providers, and researchers share a collaborative space where they can connect, learn, and generate knowledge and ideas together. Lived experiences and professional expertise are equally valued and are integrated.
Insurance services and pharmaceutical companies now prioritize people, while government organizations fund projects and research that truly matter, based on the collaborative learning of patients, providers, and researchers. Governance is not conducted from a distance but is deeply integrated, addressing core needs with inclusive strategies that listen to the voices of those most impacted by the delivery of care.
With my research, I envision a future where we cultivate a culture of health. In this future, everyone is trusted and respected for their unique expertise. Openness and experimentation are the norms, individuals take personal ownership of their health, their stories have a global impact, and the patient's voice and choice are integral to all stakeholder decisions.
The map above is my vision of an ideal healthcare culture, designed to achieve an equitable healthcare future. In this model, the silos between patients, providers, and researchers are taken apart. Patients, providers, and researchers share a collaborative space where they can connect, learn, and generate knowledge and ideas together. Lived experiences and professional expertise are equally valued and are integrated.
Insurance services and pharmaceutical companies now prioritize people, while government organizations fund projects and research that truly matter, based on the collaborative learning of patients, providers, and researchers. Governance is not conducted from a distance but is deeply integrated, addressing core needs with inclusive strategies that listen to the voices of those most impacted by the delivery of care.
With my research, I envision a future where we cultivate a culture of health. In this future, everyone is trusted and respected for their unique expertise. Openness and experimentation are the norms, individuals take personal ownership of their health, their stories have a global impact, and the patient's voice and choice are integral to all stakeholder decisions.