Health policy is a critical problem for healthcare providers and patients. Review of The policy brief “Effects of State Preemption Policies on Racial Justice and Health Equity” by One has to analyze state preemption policies from various angles to understand their influence upon racial justice and health equity. Advanced practice nurses and APNs need to know these policies’ roles in facilitating proper functioning within the complex world of healthcare from promoting fair health practices. The paper addresses the issue of state preemption policies that lead to adverse effects on racial justice and health equity, elaborating on the strengths and weaknesses and recommendations for resolutions in the field while emphasizing the role of APNs in creating evidence-based, locally accountable health policies.
Identify the Primary Issue
The policy brief, “Effects of State Preemption Policies on Racial Justice and Health Equity,” is essential to discuss in today’s world because it focuses on how state policies either contribute to the goal of health equity, along with the elimination of racial disparities or compromise it (Carr et al., 2020). Reviewing offers, through the lens of state preemptions, insights into complicated issues regarding policy decisions, widespread inequality in all forms, and health disparity variations among the groups of people in the United States.
Summarize the Brief
The policy brief offers a closer insight into the impact of state preemption policies on racial justice and health equity in the United States. Research has shown that state laws endanger the autonomy of local governments in extensive cases. In particular, one of the limitations that should be addressed is reducing racial disparities and equal access to healthcare for every person. Regarding the issue reached during the police brief, instead of sharing a different perspective on how state prevention policies have facilitated racial justice and health equity, efforts in challenging issues.
Relationship to APN Practice
APNs’ role has to be examined in connection with a policy brief concerning racial justice and health fairness issues associated with state preemption policies. APNs perform a vital role in healthcare and help fight health disparities. Some activities that could have eliminated racial inequality are still outlawed by state preemption laws, thereby reducing the independence of APNs. Lack of sufficient autonomy results in adverse patient outcomes and obstacles to health equity at a higher level with an increased inclusion within various communities.
Strengths, Weaknesses, Advantages, or Disadvantages
Strengths
Strength #1: Standardization of Healthcare Practices
State preemption policies are a compelling argument because they would enable the creation of an organizational structure using identical regulations and procedures in any healthcare facility in various regions that belong to different states. Supporters argue that with such a unified action, we will get a more organized and effective healthcare system where no difference in regulations can be observed from one state to another.
Strength #2: Improved Organizational Effectiveness
Supporters believe that state preemption measures improve the structure and efficiency of a healthcare system. It would eliminate differences in state regulations and simplify the process, thus reducing the number of consultations and administrative work for healthcare providers who have different places at home.
Strength #3: Clarity and Consistency in Healthcare Policies
One significant strength of the state preemption policies is that they are transparent and standardized healthcare policy guidelines. Standardized regulations for medical practice guidelines make them more transparent and uniform nationwide (Haddow et al., 2020). These will likely make the practice setup and operations less burdensome for medical practices nationwide, making it easier for healthcare professionals to review their regulations.
Weaknesses
Weakness #1: Neglect of Special Community Needs
Racial disparities are when state regulations fail to consider the unique needs of different communities. This type of oversight can result in an inequality that hampers society’s advancement toward equitability.
Weakness #2: Limited Local Innovation
State preemption policies lead to concerns about limited opportunities for local innovation by implementing generic resources. Obtaining equitable health outcomes may require localities to help design and implement custom-made healthcare programs.
Weakness #3: Reduced Adaptability to Population Needs
Applying Uniform rules would help stop local communities from adapting according to their population’s particular circumstances by enforcing similar rules everywhere.
Advantages
Advantage #1: Enhanced Efficiency and Cost Savings
Such state preemption actions foster the integration of standardized healthcare rules and help achieve results in efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Consistent rules will level these differences in employment, making health care services less complicated and administrative functions accessible and even attracting savings.
Advantage #2: Streamlined Healthcare Delivery
By signing the same rules, uniformity ensures a healthcare system is even more approachable. Without caregivers and administrators, it will decrease unnecessary complications and simplify healthcare delivery.
Advantage #3: Economic Efficiency Through Ordinary Standards
The policies concerning state preemption can support the economic balance of the healthcare system as long as it meets the standard rates. These policies simplify compliance rules, administrative tasks, and adjustments among different localities or regions, thus resulting in a much more economically efficient healthcare system.
Disadvantages
Disadvantage #1: Reduced Tailoring for Cultural and Demographic Needs
Serious problems were created by state preemption rules that limit the ability to match healthcare initiatives with a particular cultural or demographic environment. Decreased personalization can make healthcare interventions that address the specific problems various communities pose weaker and more disturbing.
Disadvantage #2: Widening Health Disparities
State preemption policies could contribute to intensifying health inequalities as they may fail to address the real problems that disadvantaged communities have. Policies like these will have a negative outcome unless specific intentions are implemented and solutions to the root of health disparities are dealt with; otherwise, they may aggravate inequality between healthcare outcomes.
Disadvantage #3: Threat to Perpetuating Health Disparities
Another significant consequence is the limit of local governments by state; such restrictions shrink these bodies and make them less independent. The barriers to some interventions may amplify those initial disparities and thus have specific implications.
Solutions or Recommendations
Solution #1: Advocate for a Balanced Approach
It is necessary to foster a balanced approach that can facilitate state preemption measures without neglecting alterations in local health. Such an approach, which addresses multiple needs of the community, recognizes that a one-size solution may not be potent enough to handle the intricate healthcare issues associated with racial and ethnic disparities in health.
Solution #2: Establishment of State-Level Committees
State-level committees should be constituted with several stakeholders to ensure thorough assessments and targeted interventions. These committees can serve as collaborative decision-making forums where diverse communities that are less impacted by health disparities have their consideration. These committees enable inclusive policymaking.
Solution #3: Encourage Continuous Research on Policy
Evidence-based policymaking should support research on state preemption policies related to health equity. Periodic reviews also produce flexible methods because changes will be made frequently depending on healthcare issues based on fairness and equity in policy development.
Advocacy for or Against Policy Implementation
Advocacy Approach #1: Engaging with Policymaker
Solid arguments and precise, concrete methods can help nurses take the front seat against state preemption acts by engaging policymakers in policy discussions. These nurses engage in policy debates and may support protecting the local rules; hence, solutions are developed to address community issues.
Advocacy Approach #2: Partnership with Healthcare Organizations
Nurse practitioners or Advanced practice nurses may even be involved in designing community control strategies if they do not advocate restrictive state preemption rules by partnering with the relevant health institutions and individuals. People can come together to develop evidence-based interventions from the standpoint of decision-makers toward racial fairness and health equity.
Advocacy Approach #3: Utilizing Public Health Advocacy Knowledge
Once they become advanced practice nurses capable of advocating against public health, it will be possible to train policymakers and people on how state preemption policies that restrict so much could make such grave unfairness. Advanced practice nurses are in a unique position since they advocate on behalf of all people for equal and fair access to health care due to their abilities and encourage others regarding issues concerning rules that can prevent growth.
Position on the Policy Proposal
Having thoroughly considered the situation, it is reasonable to advocate against the state preemption policies. When nurse practitioners work at a specialist level, they adopt a more dynamic and culturally sensitive approach to policies designed to improve standards in patient-based care by addressing health inequality issues beforehand. There is a particular mission focused on the characteristics of various populations. It is, therefore, mandatory to maintain potentially available possibilities of planning special initiatives in health programs based on characteristics and cultural situations.
Conclusion
In conclusion, after carefully considering state preemption laws and their effects on racial justice and health equity, one realizes this is a complex issue. It comprises the in-depth strengths and weaknesses along with solutions. Findings, ethical issues, and the willingness to improve conditions for all involved groups of patients indicate that people should show their reaction or approval of these policy directions. By working together on collective action, the APNs of Advanced Practice Nursing can define policies toward improved equity in health and direct their efforts at structural levels to address problems caused by federal preemption.
References
Carr, D., Adler, S., Winig, B. D., & Montez, J. K. (2020). Equity first: conceptualizing a normative framework to assess the role of preemption in public health. The Milbank Quarterly, 98(1), 131-149. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1468-0009.12444
Haddow, K., Carr, D., Winig, B. D., & Adler, S. (2020). Preemption, public health, and equity in the time of COVID-19. Public Health and Equity during COVID-19 (July 31, 2020). Burris, S., de Guia, S., Gable, L., Levin, DE, Parmet, WE, Terry, NP (Eds.). https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3675886
Yang, Y. T., & Berg, C. J. (2022). How Preemption Can Lead to Inequity. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(17), 10476. https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/17/10476