Cardiology Services for Ageing Population in Australia

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Concise Overview
Analysis of Quality Standards and Challenges
The Interconnectedness between the Organization and the Broader System
Responsiveness, Gaps, and Opportunities
Ethical Considerations
Recommendation for Future Action
Conclusion
References

Introduction

This research adopts the Lake Macquarie Private Hospital, an Australian-based cardiac care support facility, as a case study. The primary focus is on the organization’s shared quality standards and issues, offering corresponding recommendations. The analysis method includes research data and system thinking in organizational procedure analysis. The primary purpose is to emphasize the ethical difficulties and concerns related to service delivery in the context of an aging population and to provide suggestions for future action. The paper recognizes critical ethical challenges that might develop in the administration of healthcare systems. Such ethical aspects include no maleficence, health maximization, efficiency, respect for autonomy and privacy.

It is shown that the Lake Macquarie Private Hospital is partially responsive to the demands of its patients, particularly the elderly. However, there are areas where the organization fails to meet the specific demands of older people. This report offers intervention recommendations as listed below:

The Lake Macquarie Private Hospital should reconsider its realization of the health maximization code of conduct, particularly by exploring using robots to improve the quality of care.
The organization should address service delivery effectiveness and costs by investigating economic opportunities in information technology, such as augmented reality;
The agency should address privacy problems by embracing technology for smart homes.

This report elaborates on the needs of the elderly and possible interventions for resolving system gaps and management issues. The emergence of new technologies, including smart homes, virtual realities (VR), and augmented reality (AR), can potentially address patients’ privacy and psychological requirements.

Concise Overview

Today, Australia and most nations worldwide are seeing an increase in the number and percentage of their elderly population. As a result, the need for long-term care at home or in institutions is rising. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the primary source of disease burden among older persons. The chosen Lake Macquarie Private Hospital, an organization working under the Australian government, Department of Health and Aged Care, is one of the medium-sized organizations charged with managing the needs of the elderly. The Charter of Aged Care Rights stipulates the obligations of the Department of Health and Aged Care. Implementing the Charter of Aged Care Rights safeguards the rights of those receiving aged care.

Assessment 2 helped elaborate that interconnections exist between the organization’s activities and the more extensive system. This report demonstrates the inter-organizational connection between the select organization, the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS), and the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (NRAS). There are concerns over expenditures, privacy difficulties, and little attention to the psychological needs of the elderly in palliative care service delivery. This report concludes that the Department of Health and Aged Care must investigate robotics and smart home technology to enhance the quality of care for the elderly.

Analysis of Quality Standards and Challenges

The Australian government’s Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, Department of Health and Aged Care authorizes Lake Macquarie Private Hospital to offer seniors assistance for their daily living and cardiovascular support needs. The services provided by Ramsay Cardiac Care are a global standard in cardiac care, guiding patients through diagnosis, care, and stabilization (Tehan et al., 2021). From emergency cardiac care to continuing chronic cardiac issues, Lake Macquarie Private Hospital’s premier interdisciplinary team guarantees patients the most effective treatment and care. According to departmental data, it is evident that the most considerable attributable risk of CV disease is among the elderly population (Venuthurupalli et al., 2019). By applying preventative and interventional therapy to their oldest patients, CV caregivers have the most incredible opportunity to affect their quality of life positively.

The Charter of Aged Care Rights stipulates the obligations of the Department of Health and Aged Care in overseeing the rights of the aging population. Implementing the Charter of Aged Care Rights safeguards the rights of those receiving aged care. The clause applies to all government-funded elder care services in Australia. Some regulatory recommendations directly address the need for patient education and access to high-quality treatment. The Charter of Aged Care Rights stipulates that care providers must sign and deliver a copy of the Charter to every individual receiving aged care (Naweed et al., 2022). Such interaction between the patient and care provider ensures patient consent and autonomy.

As a requirement for successful patient education, the legislative provision mandates that care professionals at Lake Macquarie Private Hospital assist each individual in comprehending the Charter by establishing interpersonal relationships. Per the given protocols, requesting that the individual sign the Charter verifies that they have received and comprehended it (Naweed et al., 2022). The Charter of Aged Care Rights mandates that services begin or continue even if they choose not to sign. The Charter requires that all parties engaged in senior care delivery respect senior care recipients’ rights.

The Interconnectedness between the Organization and the Broader System

The Lake Macquarie Private Hospital’s services are interconnected with larger systems such as the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards and the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (NRAS) for health practitioners. The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care established the NSQHS Standards in consultation with the Australian government, the commercial sector, clinical professionals, patients, and caregivers (Ritchie et al., 2020). The National Safety and Quality Health System (NSQHS) provides a quality assurance process that evaluates whether relevant mechanisms are in place to guarantee that safety and quality criteria are fulfilled.

Similarly, NRAS for health practitioners was formed in 2010 by establishing uniform laws in all jurisdictions. Even though NRAS is not a government program, it impacts the whole health workforce in Australia. The primary objective of the NRAS is public safety requiring standard proactive in Lake Macquarie Private Hospital. In 2010, the National Scheme was implemented to guarantee that all registered health professionals achieve the same high-quality national professional standard. In addition to the Department of Health and Aged Care, organizations such as the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Authority (AHPRA) and the National Alliance of Self-Regulating Health Professions (NASRHP) offer regulatory frameworks that ensure effective patient treatment.

Responsiveness, Gaps, and Opportunities

Responsiveness

Managing vulnerable demographics, such as an aging population, necessitates delivering excellent services facilitated by the tightly regulated healthcare industry. The departmental reports illustrate the organization’s attempts to comply with the World Health Organization (WHO) requirements for health systems frameworks (Savy & Hodgkin, 2021). Focusing on the WHO’s six pillars of a health system framework, service delivery, qualified health staff, adequate, relevant information, and validated medical items are highlighted (World Health Organization, 2019). The clauses emphasize the adoption of vaccinations and technology, financial responsibility, and responsive leadership and governance from health care providers.

A Generational Plan for Aged Care

The Lake Macquarie Private Hospital operates per the Department of Health and Aged Care provision, which requires adopting a generational plan for aged care changes as one strategy to meet the needs of the elderly. The aged care changes prioritize elderly Australians by enhancing quality, safety, and choice (Tehan et al., 2021). The goal is to make it easier for older Australians to traverse internet platforms with face-to-face services to make educated decisions. The government acknowledges the need for a more open service that ensures providers are responsible for their beliefs and expands the workforce for senior care.

Introduction of a New Star Ratings System

Equally, the Lake Macquarie Private Hospital has aimed to promote consumer knowledge about residential elderly care. The aged care department has adopted an Australian government-developed star grading system. The star ratings give a basic summary of residential elderly care services. Ratings are based on at least five program quality indicators, service compliance ratings, customer experience, and staff hours of care. The information assists elderly Australians, their families, friends, and caregivers compare care alternatives and making educated decisions.

Gaps in Service Delivery

Despite efforts to enhance an organization’s responsiveness to the needs of the elderly, there exist obstacles that have not been fully addressed. In Australia, residential aged care fees and levies are divided into three categories based on the expense of primary care, which includes meals and washing (Gnanamanickam et al., 2018). Currently, the costs equate to $56.87 a day in 2022; however, this amount is subject to change (Wood et al., 2022, p513). There are now initiatives to have the government impose annual and lifetime restrictions on income- or means-based care expenses.

Similar issues exist over the palliative care system’s inadequate attention to the psychological needs of the elderly. Trends indicate that the unexpected surroundings caused by relocations may be unsettling (Wilson et al., 2019). Similarly, isolation is caused by losing contact with previous friends and neighbors. In care facilities, a lack of privacy may harm the experience of the elderly. The Lake Macquarie Private Hospital does not provide direct answers to the elderly’s financial and emotional burdens.

Opportunities for Improvement

Companion robots are intended to improve well-being, quality of life, and autonomy by offering service, companionship, and assistance with everyday tasks. Human-robot interaction primarily encompasses cognitive and social assistance, mobility support, health monitoring, and self-care support. Studies have shown that social isolation and inadequate social relationships threaten older persons’ mental health (Dahlberg et al., 2022). Various technologically-driven initiatives need to be evaluated as options by the Department of Health and Aged Care. Today, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and AR are projected to replace the genuine presence of conscious care provided by people with mindless replication of human behavior.

Ethical Considerations

Organizational Ethics

Effective implementation of any change involves adherence to prescribed ethical codes of behavior in the healthcare industry. Ethics in elderly care entails discussing therapeutic approaches and alternatives, such as deciding on end-of-life care and allocating funds to treat disease or promote health. Ethical observance necessitates a critical examination of the disparities in health status between populations and the ethical obligations to ensure equitable access to health services.

In order to provide quality care for the elderly, the Lake Macquarie Private Hospital must prioritize the implementation of seven principles at the intermediate level. The ethical codes of conduct include no maleficence, beneficence, health maximization, efficiency, respect for autonomy, confidentiality, and proportionality (Bakken, 2022). The Lake Macquarie Private Hospital fails to optimize health maximization, effectiveness, and privacy provisions in implementing care for aged Australians with cardiovascular diseases.

Health Maximization

In practice, health maximization is interpreted as directing interventions that maximize an individual patient’s health within the context of a consultation. Non-maleficence and beneficence, unlike health maximization, can be acknowledged in deontological and consequentialist terms. In public health, the primary objective of health maximization is to improve and optimize individual care to improve the general population’s health. The realization of health maximization required holistically addressing the needs of patients.

Privacy and Confidentiality

Confidentiality for the elderly is based on respecting a person’s privacy and wishes. In aged care, older adults should have privacy and control over who sees the information they provide to caregivers. A senior’s privacy is significantly protected by the importance of confidentiality in elder care. Care institutions such as Lake Macquarie Private Hospital should uphold stringent standards of confidentiality in patient care. Transparency and openness with elderly patients and their families regarding using their personal information are crucial.

Recommendation for Future Action

Implementation of Opportunities

The Lake Macquarie Private Hospital can improve health maximization by adopting new technology to manage the elderly’s psychological stability. There are currently numerous ways in which medical robotics can assist the elderly. For instance, robots can perform simple tasks such as food and water collection (Hattori et al., 2022). Companion robots may reduce older people’s depression, loneliness, and agitation by providing entertainment in the form of games, reminding them of upcoming events and appointments, and fostering social interaction.

However, the organization’s leadership should remember that the advantages of robot use must be weighed against potential ethical concerns. The field’s philosophers have raised concerns such as deception, diminished human contact, and accountability (Niemelä et al., 2021). As a result, there is a need for the development of smart homes employing new technologies that can enhance independence. However, since technology can be remotely managed, privacy and data security concerns arise for users. Consequently, with the advancement of technology, it is crucial to overcome this obstacle by employing privacy-preserving and non-intrusive models.

Conclusion

Current community-based aged care services in Australia are primarily designed for individuals with functional limitations who require assistance with activities of daily living. In cardiac management among the elderly, Lake Macquarie Private Hospital plays a crucial role in addressing the needs of the elderly. Ethical codes of conduct emerge as crucial components in delivering quality patient care. No maleficence, beneficence, health maximization, efficiency, respect for autonomy, privacy, and proportionality are the most applicable codes of conduct. As noted, the hospital must address health maximization, care costs, efficiency, and privacy concerns.

This report supports recent calls for better integration between primary care physicians and home support services to improve long-term care for older individuals with complex and chronic conditions. Among the recommendations is using robotics and smart home technologies to enhance the senior experience. Cardiovascular disease imposes a significant burden on Australians utilizing elderly care services. Further research is required to determine whether the current integrative model of care for older Australians can benefit from advances in computer science and electronics engineering.

References

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Dahlberg, L., McKee, K. J., Frank, A., & Naseer, M. (2022). A systematic review of longitudinal risk factors for loneliness in older adults. Aging & Mental Health, 26(2), 225-249. Web.

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Hattori, Y., Hiramatsu, M., Isowa, T., Kitagawa, A., & Tsujikawa, M. (2022). The impact of cognitive impairment on disaster preparedness: a cross-sectional study of older adults over the age of 75 requiring special care in Japan. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 1-18. Web.

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