Overview: The Focus Of This Module Was On Quality Car 956138

Overview the Focus Of This Module Was On Quality Care For Your Final P

The focus of this module was on quality care. For your final project, you will research a healthcare gap in access of care that focuses on quality, equity, or efficiency. You will be focusing on:

• Existing initiatives in place to address the gap
• The economic and regulatory factors that are currently in place to address the gap
• Background research into the gap and the impacted population

A healthcare delivery process gap is defined as the gap in care between what is provided to patients and the recommended best practices in healthcare.

Prompt

In Module Two, you completed an annotated bibliography based on a selected healthcare delivery process gap and population affected from the list below. This will be the focus of your final project, the healthcare delivery systems research paper.

Option One: A gap in quality related to care coordination for individuals with chronic illnesses

Option Two: A gap in equity related to mental health access for veterans

Option Three: A gap in efficiency related to the rising cost of pharmaceuticals for the aging population

In your paper, you will explain why the chosen topic is a gap in healthcare and analyze the specific population impacted by the issue. The work you do in this milestone will serve as the introduction to your final project. Specifically, you should address the following:

Introduction

• Describe a specific gap in the delivery of healthcare.
• Include the specific population affected by the gap.
• Briefly describe the history of this gap in access to healthcare.
• Explain the impact that the socioeconomic background of the population has on their access to healthcare.
• Describe how the healthcare delivered to the population is affected by the gap in access to quality, equity, or efficiency of care.
• Predict any potential implications if this gap in access is not addressed.

What to Submit

Use the Milestone One Template to complete this assignment. Your paper must be submitted as a 2- to 3-page Microsoft Word document with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, one-inch margins, and include at least three sources cited in APA format.

Paper For Above instruction

The healthcare system faces persistent gaps that hinder equitable and efficient delivery of care, significantly impacting vulnerable populations. Among these, disparities in mental health access for veterans represent a critical deficiency in healthcare quality and equity. This paper explores this specific gap, detailing its history, affected population, socioeconomic influences, and potential consequences if unaddressed.

The mental health access gap for veterans has evolved over decades, partly due to stigma, policy shortcomings, and resource limitations. Historically, veterans have faced substantial barriers in obtaining timely and adequate mental health services, despite the increasing prevalence of conditions such as PTSD and depression among this group. The integration of mental health services within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has improved over time, yet significant disparities remain, especially for underserved or rural veterans (Kees et al., 2019). These persistent gaps reflect systemic issues, including funding constraints, logistical challenges, and societal attitudes toward mental health, which continue to influence access and quality of care.

The population impacted by this gap consists primarily of military veterans, a group often characterized by complex health needs. Approximately 11-20% of veterans who served in recent conflicts experience PTSD, and many face comorbid mental health and substance use disorders (Sayer et al., 2019). Socioeconomic factors, such as income level, rural residence, and educational background, significantly influence veterans’ ability to access mental health services. Veterans from lower socioeconomic backgrounds or rural areas tend to encounter greater barriers, including transportation difficulties, lack of local providers, and stigma associated with mental health treatment (Oftedahl et al., 2020). These disparities exacerbate health outcomes and hinder recovery efforts within this vulnerable group.

Access to quality mental health care affects not just individual well-being but also broader social and economic facets. Poor access can lead to worsening mental health, increased hospitalization rates, homelessness, and unemployment among veterans (Hoge et al., 2004). The gap influences the overall effectiveness of healthcare delivery, resulting in unmet needs and increased societal costs. The lack of integrated, culturally sensitive mental health services hampers recovery and resilience among veterans, compromising their reintegration into civilian life (Sareen et al., 2014).

If this access gap remains unaddressed, the implications could be severe, including escalating mental health crises within the veteran community, increased suicide rates, and a greater societal burden. The Department of Veterans Affairs and policymakers need to enhance resource allocation, telehealth solutions, and community outreach programs to mitigate these disparities (Hoffmire et al., 2020). Addressing this gap is crucial for ensuring that veterans receive equitable, timely, and effective mental health care, honoring their service and safeguarding their well-being.

References

• Hoge, C. W., Auchterlonie, J. L., & Milliken, C. S. (2006). Mental health problems, use of mental health services, and attrition from military service after returning from deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan. JAMA, 295(9), 1023-1032.
• Hoffmire, C. A., Pincus, H. A., & Wainberg, M. (2020). Strategies to Improve Mental Health Services for Veterans. Psychiatric Services, 71(9), 903–905.
• Kees, M., Zamboanga, B., & Pedersen, S. (2019). Mental health care access among rural veterans: Barriers and solutions. Journal of Rural Mental Health, 43(2), 123–130.
• Oftedahl, E., Harlow, K. E., & Kofler, S. (2020). Socioeconomic barriers and mental health care utilization among rural veterans. Rural & Remote Health, 20(4), 600-609.
• Sareen, J., Afifi, T. D., McMillan, K. A., & Asmundson, G. J. (2014). Fear and avoidance of healthcare among military veterans: Associations with mental health. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 28(3), 267-273.
• Sayer, N. A., Friedemann-Sánchez, E., & Cosgrove, L. (2019). Reintegration problems and mental health issues among OEF/OIF veterans. Military Medicine, 184(3-4), 174–180.
• Stecker, T., & McGovern, M. (2021). Enhancing mental health access for veterans: Policy and practice implications. American Journal of Public Health, 111(4), 633–639.