By: Shruthi Jaishankar
For an individual advocating for the success of the healthcare system, it is important to be educated on the factors that influence it. The sphere of politics is a major player in the medical field. While many healthcare professionals are reluctant to step into that arena, the process can be informative.
Politics is a part of the medical field, for better or worse. It starts with how health issues make it onto the political agenda. It all depends on how we perceive the severity of the problem, and the responsible safety measures, to influence government response. Because of the authority that the government has over this healthcare system, it is crucial to have a leader that prioritizes the welfare of the people. A beneficial authoritative figure would follow this important calling to sequence this issue. A corrupt, malicious one would use the budget to work on fragmented political institutions, fiscal constraints, resist concentrated interests like medicine, or even use it for personal means. In general, with these problems, no matter what kind of leader there is, they tend to take on incremental policy changes rather than comprehensive reforms that benefit healthcare. Another point is that the government is essential for creating laws that impact medicine. For example, while the legislature and Congress vote against marijuana, medicinal marijuana becomes illegal. This makes physicians wary of prescribing the drug, and patients hesitant to take it. The relation of politics, power, and health are all intertwined.
With the healthcare policy being affected by Congress, hospital funding, budget deals, and corrupt politicians, it is beneficial to know how to make a positive impact in our own communities. Doctors today can use their voice about the political system to their advantage by expressing their ideas for the field. More efficient research and evaluation can be done through educating those who strive to comprehend the extent of politics crossing into the medical field,
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