Week 5: Grand Rounds Presentation. The Purpose Of This Assig ✓ Solved
Week 5: Grand Rounds Presentation. The purpose of this assig
Week 5: Grand Rounds Presentation. The purpose of this assignment is to increase your knowledge regarding a chronic health condition that is commonly encountered in primary care. This health condition should be chosen from one of the weak areas identified from the APEA Pre-Predictor Exam in NR603.
Activity Learning Outcomes: Through this assignment, the student will demonstrate the ability to: Apply clinical practice guidelines to common chronic conditions seen in primary care.
Total Points Possible: 50.
Requirements: Create an Infographic using the software of your choice regarding a complex chronic health condition that you would like to learn more about. The Infographic should include: 1) Description of the disease; 2) Criteria for diagnosis; 3) Review common diagnostic tests required for diagnosis and/or ongoing management; 4) Present a pharmacologic treatment algorithm including the most commonly prescribed drugs; 5) Provide evidence by sharing clinical guidelines, research articles, or other scholarly materials to support your Infographic; 6) Identify reasons that each medication might be selected, barriers to practice, or issues related to the condition and the use of pharmacologic treatment; 7) Describe the expected outcomes for medication management, including expectations for follow up care; 8) A full reference list in APA format on a reference page.
Sociology 462-02: Sociology of Health and Illness American Health Care System Analysis Paper (50 Points): Part 1: Health Care Reform (2-4 pages): Debate the pros and cons of the Affordable Care Act. Discuss the key criticisms of the health care reform. What are your criticisms and biggest concerns of health care? Discuss the recent legislation/changes since the Trump Administration.
Part 2: Ideal Health Care Policy (2-4 pages): Propose a health care policy based on your scholarly analysis. After discussing the effects of money and power on policy, identify different groups or organizations that would support specific aspects of your health care policy and groups or organizations that could be opposed. Include insurance companies, hospital corporations, the AMA, nurses’ unions, political parties, and lobbying groups. How would you implement your policy to ensure equitable service delivery and accessibility? Use in-text citations from your research, scholarly sources, websites, the text etc. to support your statements.
Include a Reference Page. Paper will be written in APA format. No abstract is needed.
Paper For Above Instructions
Introduction
The combined assignment prompt invites two integrated but distinct scholarly tasks: (1) the creation of an infographic on a complex chronic health condition commonly seen in primary care, and (2) a two-part policy-focused analysis paper addressing health care reform and future policy design. The intended outcome is to demonstrate mastery of clinical guidelines for a chronic condition and to apply health policy theory to real-world health system reform. The following paper provides a structured response to both components, synthesizing current guidelines, diagnostic pathways, pharmacologic strategies, and policy considerations with attention to health equity and practical implementation.
Part 1: Infographic on Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) — Description, Diagnostics, Management, and Evidence
Description of the disease: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by insulin resistance and progressive pancreatic beta-cell dysfunction. It leads to hyperglycemia and is associated with microvascular and macrovascular complications such as nephropathy, retinopathy, neuropathy, cardiovascular disease, and stroke. The condition arises from a combination of genetic predisposition and lifestyle factors, with rising global prevalence driven by aging populations, sedentary behavior, and obesity (American Diabetes Association, 2023).
Criteria for diagnosis: Diagnostic criteria align with established guidelines and rely on plasma glucose measures and/or glycated hemoglobin (A1C). A diagnosis can be made if any of the following are met: A1C ≥ 6.5%; fasting plasma glucose ≥ 126 mg/dL; 2-hour plasma glucose ≥ 200 mg/dL during an oral glucose tolerance test; or random plasma glucose ≥ 200 mg/dL in the presence of classic hyperglycemia symptoms (American Diabetes Association, 2023).
Review of common diagnostic tests and ongoing management: Initial evaluation includes A1C, fasting lipid panel, liver and renal panels, liver enzymes, and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio to assess complications and comorbidities. Regular monitoring includes quarterly A1C for those not at target and frequent lipids, blood pressure, and renal function assessments. Retinopathy screening, neuropathy assessment, and foot examinations are integral components of comprehensive care (ADA Standards of Care, 2023).
Pharmacologic treatment algorithm: The typical stepwise approach begins with lifestyle modification and metformin as first-line pharmacotherapy unless contraindicated. If glycemic targets are not achieved after 3 months, add a second agent from another class (e.g., a GLP-1 receptor agonist, SGLT2 inhibitor) with consideration of comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease or CKD. For those with established ASCVD or heart failure, agents with proven cardiovascular benefit (e.g., SGLT2 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists) are prioritized. Insulin therapy is introduced for patients who fail to achieve glycemic targets with oral and noninsulin injectables. The algorithm emphasizes individualized targets, consideration of side effects, and patient preferences (ADA Standards of Care, 2023; ADA, 2023).
Evidence and guidelines: Robust evidence supports metformin as initial therapy, with additional agents selected based on efficacy, weight effects, cardiovascular benefits, and renal status. Guidelines from the American Diabetes Association and subsequent position statements emphasize personalized care, routine monitoring for complications, and a comprehensive risk-reduction strategy including lipid management and blood pressure control (ADA Standards of Care, 2023; ADA, 2023).
Rationale for medication choices and barriers: Medications are selected based on efficacy, cardiovascular and renal benefits, patient comorbidity, and tolerability. Barriers include medication cost, access to insulin and CGMs, payer coverage constraints, polypharmacy in older adults, and medication adherence. Real-world barriers such as social determinants of health and health literacy significantly influence outcomes (ADA Standards of Care, 2023; KFF, 2023).
Expected outcomes and follow-up: Medication management aims at achieving normoglycemia or near-normoglycemia, reducing microvascular risk, and slowing disease progression. Follow-up typically includes quarterly A1C testing, blood pressure and lipid monitoring, renal function assessment, and regular screenings for complications. Patient education and shared decision-making are essential for adherence and sustainable lifestyle modification (ADA Standards of Care, 2023).
Part 2: Health Care Reform and Ideal Health Care Policy
Health care reform: Pros and cons of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The ACA significantly expanded health insurance coverage, protected individuals with preexisting conditions, and mandated essential health benefits, which collectively reduced the uninsured rate. However, criticisms persist regarding premium costs, network adequacy, and variable plan generosity. Some critics argue the law’s market reforms did not sufficiently control costs or ensure universal access in all regions, leading to persistent concerns about affordability and under-insurance. Legislative and regulatory changes since the Trump Administration included efforts to repeal or undermine key ACA provisions, expansion of short-term plans, reductions in cost-sharing subsidies, and changes to individual mandate penalties, all of which affected enrollment stability and premium dynamics (KFF, 2023; CBO, 2019; Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, 2017).
Policy proposal: Ideal health care policy with an emphasis on equity and sustainability. A pragmatic framework could combine robust subsidies to stabilize premiums, a public option to maintain competition and choice, and enhanced support for low-income individuals to achieve near-universal coverage. This approach would require rebalancing payer mixes, promoting price transparency, and strengthening primary care capacity to reduce avoidable specialty care use. It would also integrate social determinants of health into policy design to address disparities, including housing, transportation, and food security. Financing could derive from progressive subsidies, value-based payment reforms, and targeted cost controls on high-price therapies while preserving provider incentives to maintain access and quality (KFF, 2023; RAND, 2014; World Health Organization, 2010).
Stakeholders: The policy landscape includes insurers, hospital systems, the American Medical Association (AMA), nurses’ unions, political parties, and lobby groups. Proponents of expanded coverage and reduced financial barriers include consumer advocacy groups and primary care associations; opponents may include some insurers and hospital systems concerned about reimbursement shifts, as well as lobbying groups aligned with market-based reform. The policy design must anticipate and negotiate these interests to achieve equitable service delivery. The role of the public option and subsidies would be central to balancing access, cost, and quality, while regulatory measures should ensure network adequacy and patient protections (AMA, 2019; KFF, 2023; World Health Organization, 2019).
Implementation for equitable service delivery: A phased approach should be used, beginning with essential subsidies and a durable public option in markets with high uninsurance rates, followed by gradual expansion and enforcement of price transparency, value-based contracts, and performance-based payment to providers. Policy measures should explicitly address rural and minority communities, with targeted investments in community health centers, telehealth expansion, and culturally competent care. Ongoing evaluation using standardized metrics for access, outcomes, and equity is essential to refine the policy over time (Institute of Medicine, 2003; National Academy of Medicine, 2015; RAND, 2014).
Conclusion
Answering the two-pronged assignment requires integrating clinical guidelines with policy analysis to improve care delivery and system performance. The infographic component emphasizes evidence-based pharmacologic management of a chronic condition, along with barriers and outcomes. The policy component foregrounds equity, sustainability, and stakeholder negotiation within a reformed health care landscape. Together, these tasks prepare learners to translate clinical knowledge into policy-informed practice that improves patient outcomes and population health.