Using Christian Principles to Repair American Healthcare System
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Using Christian Principles to Repair American Healthcare System
Introduction
The American healthcare system has evolved, over time but has not yet achieved perfection. Currently, the United States health care system is perceived as unique among developed countries (The Commonwealth Fund, 2022). The main thing about the US healthcare system that is recognized globally is that it does not have a uniform healthcare system and also lacks universal health coverage. However, there are other problems related to drug prescription and treatment performed by doctors. The changes to the U.S. healthcare system over time happened due to concerns regarding quality, access, and cost of healthcare services (The Commonwealth Fund, 2022). Different worldviews can be applied to improve health care delivery in the US. In that regard, this paper discusses how understanding Christian principles can help repair the American health care system.
The Christian worldview has some good principles that if applied in health care can improve care delivery, patient experiences, as well as patient outcomes. Christian values will allow healthcare providers to look beyond themselves and their understanding (Cuellar De la Cruz & Robinson, 2017). Healthcare providers will begin to look at healthcare service as a responsibility to humanity. Some of the major problems in American health care include ethnicity and racism. Christian principles are against any kind of discrimination, whether based on ethnicity, race, color, and socioeconomic status. Christianity is based on one major law or principle, which is love. In the book of Mark chapter 12 verse 31, the Holy Bible says that one should love their neighbor as they love themselves (Testament, 2018). Once doctors make this Christian law a healthcare principle, then everything else is sorted.
Healthcare professionals are trained to show compassion, empathy, love, and respect to every patient. These values are often lacking in American healthcare, especially, minority groups are experiencing the major impact of these lacking elements of care. Christianity supports, encourages, and enhances all the elements (compassion, empathy, love, and respect) of everyone in healthcare (Cuellar De la Cruz & Robinson, 2017). Understanding the Christian principles will restore empathy, compassion, love, and respect, hence, repairing the healthcare system. Christians believe that God loves everyone and that all people are equal before God regardless of their color, race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status (Cuellar De la Cruz & Robinson, 2017). In that regard, understanding that everyone is equal before God will help healthcare professionals treat all patients with fairness and with humane.
The Christian worldview of human beings promotes the belief that people have intrinsic dignity that must be respected. This belief originates from the notion that human beings were created in the image of God (Testament, 2018). Understanding all these principles promotes love. With a Christian worldview, healthcare professionals will be very responsible when attending to patients to minimize medication errors. Love for other people means causing no harm to them. Therefore, the Christian principles promote the principles of non-maleficence. Furthermore, through love and respect for intrinsic human dignity, healthcare professionals will improve and eliminate all negative practices (intentional or unintentional) in healthcare. In the book of first John chapter 4 verse 19, the bible says that “We love because he first loved us”(Testament, 2018). It shows that love is where humans’ relationship with one another is based. Making healthcare equal will show the love for one another. Additionally, making healthcare affordable is also a show of love to the citizens
According to 1, histories of medicine and religion have been intertwined for decades. Many faith-based communities, including Christianity, established hospitals and hospices as part of their ministry. They improved and enhanced quality care and positive patient outcomes through Christian principles of love, compassion, empathy, and holistic care. Spirituality and the role of a higher power can, therefore, become salient in all aspects of a person’s life, including health cognitions, behaviors, and outcomes. In the modern world, however, religion and medicine have become more distinct as medicine continues to become more scientific (Cuellar De la Cruz & Robinson, 2017). For this reason, the current problems emerged as Christian principles continue to vanish.
There are parts of the scripture that promote goodwill for people. Considering the Bible verse that states, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Testament, 2018). This verse depicts that there are individuals who cannot carry their burdens. It recommends that such people should be helped to carry them. In that view, some people cannot carry the financial burden related to the cost of care. they may be helped in various ways such as the provision of affordable healthcare or subsidies for health insurance plans (Cuellar De la Cruz & Robinson, 2017). Therefore, Christian principles can be utilized to repair the American health care system.
Conclusion
American healthcare is experiencing several challenges such as racism, ethnicity, and other forms of discrimination. These issues have led to unfair treatment of patients. other problems include high costs of care, poor quality of health care, and lack of access to care. Christiaan principles include love, compassion, empathy, and respect for one another. Christianity also promotes equality among people. Incorporating these principles into healthcare can improve the identified areas of weakness of the American healthcare system.
References
Cuellar De la Cruz, Y., & Robinson, S. (2017). Answering the call to accessible quality health care for all using a new model of local community not-for-profit charity clinics: A return to Christ-centered care of the past. The Linacre Quarterly, 84(1), 44-56. 10.1080/00243639.2016.1274631
Testament, O. (2018). The holy bible. http://www.modernliteralversion.org/books/8303111.pdf
The Commonwealth Fund. (2022). U.S. Health Care from a Global Perspective, 2019: Higher Spending, Worse Outcomes? https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2020/jan/us-health-care-global-perspective-2019