By Jon Warner
Because women are 51% of the world’s population (and 52% in the US) it is obvious to say that women's health should be a critical group to focus on. However, females generally get less attention than males all over the world. With women typically making 75%-80% of the health and healthcare decisions for the entire family, it creates a huge impact when their care is not optimized. Healthcare organizations of all kinds (including providers, payers, and biopharma, in particular) play a vital role in ensuring that women receive the care they need – creating a strong need for all these organizations to gather more useful data and provide more focus and attention to women's health priorities. In this brief article, we will explore eight strategies that healthcare organizations can implement to enhance their focus on women's health and improve the quality of care provided.
1. Education and Awareness: Healthcare organizations should conduct regular awareness and educational campaigns about major women's health issues. This can include workshops, seminars, webinars, and health fairs.
2. Research and Development: Healthcare organizations should invest in research and development to improve women's health services and treatments. This can also include participating in clinical trials specifically designed for women's health issues.
3. Gender-Sensitive Care: Healthcare organizations should adopt a more gender-sensitive approach to care, recognizing and addressing the unique health needs and challenges faced by women. This includes understanding the biological, psychological, and social differences between men and women. By tailoring care to these differences, healthcare providers can offer more effective and personalized treatment plans.
4. Access to Women's Health Specialists: To provide comprehensive care, healthcare organizations should ensure that women have access to specialized healthcare professionals who are trained in women's health issues. This includes gynecologists, obstetricians, and other specialists who can address specific concerns such as reproductive health, menopause, maternal care, and more. By offering a diverse range of specialists, healthcare organizations can better meet the specific needs of women.
5. Screening and Prevention: Regular screenings and preventive measures are crucial for maintaining women's health. Healthcare organizations should prioritize providing comprehensive screening services, such as mammograms, Pap smears, and bone density tests. Additionally, they should promote awareness and education about preventive measures, including vaccinations, healthy lifestyle choices, and early detection of common women's health conditions.
6. Addressing Social Determinants of Health: Healthcare organizations must recognize that women's health is influenced by various social determinants, including socioeconomic status, education, and access to resources. While these also affect men, they often show up differently for women, which needs to be understood. By addressing these determinants, healthcare organizations can improve health outcomes for women. This can be achieved through community partnerships, advocacy for policies that support women's health, and initiatives that address social inequalities.
7. Patient-Centered Care: Healthcare organizations should prioritize female-focused patient-centered care by actively involving women in healthcare decisions and tailoring treatment plans to meet their personalized needs. This includes fostering open communication, providing clear and understandable information, and respecting women's autonomy and preferences. By empowering women to actively participate in their care journey, healthcare organizations can improve patient satisfaction and outcomes.
8. Addressing the Needs of Diverse Populations: Women come from diverse backgrounds and experiences, and healthcare organizations must recognize and address the unique health challenges faced by different populations. This includes considering cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic factors that may impact women's health. Organizations can ensure that all women receive equitable and inclusive care by offering culturally sensitive care, providing language interpretation services, and promoting diversity within healthcare teams.
Conclusion: Healthcare organizations have a responsibility to prioritize women's health and provide comprehensive, gender-sensitive care to the best of their capacity. By implementing strategies like facilitating access to specialists, proactive screening and prevention measures, tackling social determinants of health, prioritizing patient-centric care, and catering to the requirements of varied demographics - healthcare institutions can strengthen their commitment to women's health priorities. These efforts not only lead to better health outcomes, but also increase overall satisfaction among citizens, members, and patients to promote a more equitable healthcare system for all women under their care.
This article was written by Jon Warner, Executive Chair of Citizen Health Strategies (CHS). Citizen Health Strategies optimizes the end-to-end care experience with advisory, consulting, and product-building services to help deliver the Quintuple Aim – enabling better, faster, and more personalized well and sick care for all.
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