Final answer:
Option 3: Preventing medical errors is a National Patient Safety Goal. Policies should address private health records confidentiality, minimization of medical errors, and balancing treatment costs with quality of life. The ACA aims to provide affordable healthcare while maintaining quality and reducing costs.
Step-by-step explanation:
Among the listed options, Option 3: Preventing medical errors is a National Patient Safety Goal. National Patient Safety Goals are set by the Joint Commission, an organization that accredits healthcare organizations in the United States, and are designed to improve patient safety. Preventing medical errors directly addresses the quality and safety of patient care, making it a primary focus for healthcare providers.
In developing policies that balance the costs of treatments and diagnoses, patient quality of life, and risks to individual privacy, several questions must be considered:
- How can we ensure that health records remain confidential while allowing for necessary sharing among healthcare providers to enhance patient care?
- What measures can be implemented to minimize the risk of medical errors while keeping healthcare costs sustainable for patients and the healthcare system?
- What can be done to ensure that patients are not over-treated due to the fee-for-service model, thereby maintaining their quality of life and potentially reducing healthcare costs?
These considerations are particularly relevant in the context of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA or Obamacare), which aims to provide access to affordable health insurance, lower healthcare costs, and improve the overall quality of healthcare. The Act addresses issues of moral hazard, adverse selection, and seeks to increase employment in the healthcare industry while also ensuring that U.S. residents have health insurance.