Demonstrate leadership and teamwork skills to effectively manage health care projects and teams.
Analyze trending management issues to maintain lifelong learning in the rapidly evolving health care field.
Develop a Briefing report (continue working on the case from week 3) covering all the following:
Provide an overview of Estelle vs. Gamble and how that 1976 Supreme Court ruling pertains to the provision of inmate health care.
Examine the challenges of providing health care in a correctional environment.
What are the challenges of providing health care to a female offender population that may not exist in a male prison?
What framework would you apply to the strategic planning? Why? (HINT: Remember all the available frameworks that you learned in the previous classes as well as in this class to make a correct choice; justify the final choice through the collaborative ).
Identify what information and evidence you have to apply to the strategic process steps. Identify appropriate evidence you still need to correctly use the strategic planning process. (HINT: make sure to list all types of evidence you need)
Identify appropriate evidence you still need to correctly use the strategic planning process. (HINT: make sure to list all types of evidence you need)
Identify the sources of the needed evidence. Offer the stakeholders able to provide you with the evidence you are seeking.
Full Answer Section
Estelle vs. Gamble
In 1976, the Supreme Court ruled in Estelle vs. Gamble that the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. This ruling was based on the finding that the failure to provide adequate medical care to inmates can constitute cruel and unusual punishment. The Court held that inmates have a right to receive "adequate medical care" that is "reasonably comparable to that provided by the community at large."
Challenges of Providing Health Care in a Correctional Environment
There are a number of challenges to providing health care in a correctional environment. These challenges include:
- The high prevalence of chronic health conditions among inmates, such as diabetes, heart disease, and HIV/AIDS.
- The lack of access to specialized care, such as mental health care and substance abuse treatment.
- The limited resources available to correctional facilities, which can make it difficult to provide adequate care.
- The security concerns that can arise when providing care to inmates, such as the risk of violence or contraband.
Challenges of Providing Health Care to a Female Offender Population
In addition to the challenges faced by all inmates, female offenders face a number of unique challenges when it comes to accessing health care. These challenges include:
- The high prevalence of reproductive health issues among female inmates.
- The lack of specialized care for female offenders, such as pregnancy care and postpartum care.
- The stigma associated with being a female offender, which can make it difficult for women to access care.
Strategic Planning Framework
The strategic planning framework that would be most appropriate for this setting is the
Balanced Scorecard. The Balanced Scorecard is a strategic planning framework that helps organizations to set goals, measure performance, and track progress. The Balanced Scorecard is divided into four perspectives: financial, customer, internal business processes, and learning and growth.
The Balanced Scorecard would be a good fit for this setting because it allows organizations to track their progress on a number of different dimensions, including financial, clinical, and operational performance. The Balanced Scorecard would also help the organization to identify and address the specific challenges faced by female offenders.
Information and Evidence Needed
The information and evidence that would be needed to implement the strategic planning process include:
- Data on the health status of the inmate population, including the prevalence of chronic health conditions and mental health issues.
- Data on the availability of health care services in the community, including specialized care for female offenders.
- Data on the costs of providing health care to inmates.
- Stakeholder input on the priorities for health care in the correctional setting.
Sources of Evidence
The sources of evidence for the information and evidence needed to implement the strategic planning process include:
- The inmate health records
- The medical records of the community providers
- The cost reports for the correctional facility
- Interviews with stakeholders
Conclusion
The challenges of providing health care in a
correctional environment are significant. However, by using a strategic planning framework such as the Balanced Scorecard, organizations can track their progress on a number of different dimensions and identify and address the specific challenges faced by female offenders.
References
- Estelle vs. Gamble, 429 U.S. 97 (1976).
- The Balanced Scorecard: Translating Strategy into Action, by Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton.
- Strategic Planning for Correctional Health Care, by Richard A. Rettig and James J. Peters.
Sample Answer
Briefing Report
Introduction
This briefing report provides an overview of
the challenges of providing health care in a correctional environment, with a specific focus on the female offender population. The report also discusses the Estelle vs. Gamble Supreme Court ruling and how it pertains to the provision of inmate health care. Finally, the report identifies the strategic planning framework that would be most appropriate for this setting and discusses the information and evidence that would be needed to implement the strategic planning process.