What Innovations in Primary Care Teach Us About Oral Health

A recent paper in the Journal of Ethics of the American Medical Association examines the relationship between oral health and primary care. It highlights five important oral health lessons the patient-centered medical home movement can offer. These courses emphasize the significance of preventive care, technology, and interprofessional education.

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and the Oregon Office of Rural Health are collaborating to test five telehealth trials. These programs are financed by a federal grant that encourages innovation in healthcare delivery with three goals: improved health, lower costs, and enhanced access. The telehealth pilots will continue until June 2016; the results will be released in early autumn 2016.

Telehealth is a promising technology that has the potential to transform the delivery and accessibility of health care. It can make care more accessible, inexpensive, and integrated. As a result, 75 percent of 2,767 providers surveyed in 2020 anticipate an increase in telehealth volume. It has also been demonstrated that this service increases patient satisfaction.

Community-based oral health programs enhance access to high-quality oral health care. There are few providers available for low-income residents in some locations. These programs can increase access to health care and encourage healthy behaviors among underprivileged communities by integrating primary and dental health care services. One organization in Vallejo, California, the Solano Coalition for Better Health, incorporated dental health care with primary care, including preventative care, restorative therapy, and community outreach. The objective was to provide dental care services to at least 1,000 extra children and adolescents annually.

Collaboration between FQHCs and primary care practices is another form of community-based oral health care. This HRSA-funded partnership between the medical and dentistry disciplines will establish a center for integrating oral health into primary care. This center will address training deficiencies in primary care, emphasize patient-centered care, and meet the specific needs of various regions.

A wealth tax is one approach that might fund COVID-19's vital services. Others, like a national health insurance program, have also been proposed. These would safeguard families from catastrophic out-of-pocket medical expenses. Biovitals(r) is a smartphone application that may collect qualitative patient data and immediately notify treating physicians of significant physiological changes. Many vulnerable individuals in sub-Saharan Africa lack access to appropriate medical treatment. These issues result from low life expectancy, significant maternal mortality, and widespread death. These negative repercussions may develop rapidly during a pandemic. And because COVID-19 is predicted to kill many people in the region, this information is crucial.

The COVID-19 pandemic poses a significant threat to the health systems of Africa. However, due to a lack of testing facilities, the number of instances may be underestimated, even though it is unlikely to be as high as some have assumed. For example, a home survey in Zambia revealed infection rates 100 times higher than government statistics.

The system of oral health treatment is rife with injustices. Income and race are linked to disparities in oral health care, with persons of color experiencing unmet dental needs and discriminatory behaviors. It is also vital to emphasize that the lack of dental insurance coverage for low-income areas exacerbates these inequalities.

The British government has pledged to minimize healthcare disparities by addressing their underlying social, economic, and political causes. An independent investigation of health disparities assessed the evidence and developed recommendations for addressing inequalities. This report summarizes the oral health evidence given to the study and offers guidance to reduce oral health disparities.

This study shows the necessity of integrating dental treatment with primary care. Team-based care can help eliminate dental disparities by enhancing care access and coordination. It can also improve the cultural competence of healthcare personnel and diminish the influence of prejudices. In addition, it helps establish connections between communities and healthcare institutions.

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