Health Care Library

It is not the number of pages that make a book great, but it is the content found on the pages that capture the reader. My focus here is on the standards within the healthcare field and how the ever-changing and ever-growing list of standards call for much-needed and desired collaborations, due to unsuccessful attempts of development efforts, which have contributed unsatisfactory results (Hammond, Jaffe & Kush, 2009). It is through these collaborations that quality, not quantity, is thought to enhance the respective practices. I would like to discuss three topics: the actors, democratic governance influence, and relationship.

In the international theatrical called Global Health, you will find a list of over 40 organizations that contribute to standards on healthcare IT. Hammond, Jaffe & Kush (2009) acknowledge top ranking organizations that have influence on international standards. In the United States (US), the major federal contributor is the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), along with organizations such as the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The global counterpart to the ANSI would be the United Kingdom’s National Health Service. Other players include the Joint Initiative Council for the Joint Initiative on SDO Global Health Informatics Standardization and the International Health Terminology Standards Development Organization. This network of organizations work together to ensure quality of care and best practices are carried out in their specialty.

Within a network exists relationships between physicians and insurance companies, who continually accuse each other for the rising healthcare costs (Kornwitz, 2011). It is also within these networks that policy and standards are created. Klijin (1996) makes note about the policy processes within a network and the mutual dependency that the actors (i.e. clinicians and insurance companies) share with one another. The interaction setting, referred to as the network, in this context is the international arena. Within this network are variables that constantly change, such as government leaders and political situations that affect the entire process of policy. From the individual committees and their freedoms to attend international meetings, from the disclosure of national information from their respective countries, this network has many boundaries.

Democratic governance is found in environments that embrace participation of political parties, civil societies, and media access. To sustain this type of governance, separation of government powers exist and are exercised within the contents of law, through the respect for human nature and liberties, and demonstrating responsibility through civil service. It is within standards that you see Democratic governance exercised. Within elections of government officials, who enforce new agendas, place influential leaders over organizations that create standards, and build and destroy relationships with not only global organizations, but other nations. It is through this governance that one day a standard could be recognized, and the next day, due to a new law, the standard could be obsolete and disregarded.

Overall, I believe that the field of global health is a network of its own right, but many pieces of a pie that are represented by different nations and organizations. Democratic governance plays a strong part in the establishment of many of these organizations, as well as the participation of the standards introduced by these organizations. This internetwork is blessed and hindered by the very diversity that has established it. It is that diverse city, along with the mission, that must have collaboration in order to be effective, and in this case, save lives.