Public Health Departments: Patient Care and Community Safety

Introduction

Today, public health departments across the country are struggling to respond to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a host of other health-related issues such as heart disease and obesity that affect large numbers of Americans (Harris et al., 2022). The purpose of this paper is to discuss the role of health departments in patient care and community safety. In addition, a discussion of how health departments and primary care providers collaborate for patient care is followed by a summary of key research findings in the conclusion.

The Role of Health Departments in Patient Care and Community Safety

As the principal coordinating organization within a municipal jurisdiction, public health departments play a critical role in the coordination of patient care (Leider et al., 2015). This role has assumed new importance and relevance in recent years as the legal environment surrounding patient care services has changed. According to Leider and her associates (2015), "The Affordable Care Act is changing the landscape of health systems across the U.S., as well as the functioning of governmental public health departments. As a result, local health departments are reevaluating their roles, objectives, and the services they provide" (p. S66).

While the challenges involved in implementing, coordinating, and administering the Affordable Care Act have been significant, the vast majority of health department leaders believe that its provisions will have a positive impact on public health and community safety in the United States, both now and in the future (Leider et al., 2015). In addition, public health departments share several common purposes with direct implications for community safety, including: 1) preventing epidemics and the spread of disease; 2) protecting against environmental hazards; 3) preventing injuries; 4) promoting and encouraging healthy behaviors; 5) responding to disasters and assisting communities in recovery; and 6) assuring the quality and accessibility of health care services (The ten essential public health services, 2014, p. 4).

Likewise, the following essential services of public health departments also directly contribute to community safety: 1) monitor health status to identify and solve community health problems; 2) diagnose and investigate health problems and health hazards in the community; 3) inform, educate, and empower people about health issues; 4) mobilize community partnerships to identify and solve health problems; 5) develop policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts; 6) enforce laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety; 7) link people to needed personal health services and assure the provision of health care when otherwise unavailable; 8) assure a competent public and personal health care workforce; 9) evaluate the effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of personal and population-based health services; and 10) research new insights and innovative solutions to health problems (The ten essential public health services, 2014, p. 5).

How Health Departments and Primary Care Providers Collaborate

As noted above, some of the overarching purposes and essential services of public health departments include promoting and encouraging healthy behaviors, ensuring the quality and accessibility of health care services, and linking people to the personal health services they need. All of these goals can be advanced through collaboration and collective action with primary care providers (Hearld et al., 2021).

Conclusion

The importance of public health departments in the United States has increased over the years, and their role has expanded and assumed even greater relevance in recent years as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the country, while Americans also struggle with a wide array of other public health issues. The research was consistent in showing that public health departments play a critical role in protecting and improving patient care and community safety, as well as coordinating their services with primary care providers. In the final analysis, it is reasonable to conclude that the role played by health departments will continue to grow in importance, especially given the increasing diversity of the American population and its rapidly aging cohorts.