3.16: Healthcare Agencies II
There are various healthcare agencies in the United States—some of which are managed by religious institutions and others by different government branches.
Parish nursing is a growing specialty nursing profession that focuses on holistic healthcare, health promotion, and illness prevention. It blends professional nursing practice with a health ministry, focusing on health and healing within the context of a Christian community. Parish nurses serve as health educators, referral sources, and lay volunteer and support group organizers. In addition, parish nurses help the most vulnerable, including the elderly, those who have experienced a loss or transition, single parents, and children.
National, state, and municipal taxes all help to fund government institutions. For example, city and county taxes fund hospitals and public health clinics, state revenues support state mental health facilities, and federal taxes support national health and welfare programs.
Veteran Affairs and Military Services
Veterans Affairs (VA) and military hospitals are part of the government-supported and government-operated healthcare system. Veterans are served by VA hospitals, whereas military hospitals serve active military personnel and their immediate families. Military hospitals provide the same nursing services as other types of hospitals.
Public Health Services
The Public Health Service (PHS) is a federal health organization that reports to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The PHS is a comprehensive program that provides a wide range of services. It is the medical division of the United States Coast Guard and the primary provider of Native American healthcare through the Indian Health Services. The PHS provides grants to health facilities that give care to migrant workers and to community organizations that provide healthcare to the impoverished and uninsured. PHS funding primarily goes to the poor and uninsured grant programs.
The PHS includes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The CDC focuses on the epidemiology, prevention, control, and treatment of infectious illnesses such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The NIH provides financing and oversees numerous health research initiatives.
The PHS also provides healthcare personnel, for example, nurses, doctors, dentists, and pharmacists, to the US Department of Justice to provide treatment in federal prisons. The agency is also active in several state-run drug and alcohol addiction and mental health programs. When feasible, PHS activities are centered on community needs. Nurses in these settings give direct treatment and information and function as patient advocates in the community.
