Select your local health department and analyze the responsibilities of the department. List two current programs that have been established for the community. Disc

Although its primary function is that of a hospital, Tampa General Hospital also serves as a major healthcare provider in the Tampa Bay area and is an important player in public health efforts. Tampa General Hospital takes part in community-wide disease surveillance, outbreak investigation, and control initiatives. This entails vaccinating people, performing screenings, and working with regional health departments to develop disease prevention plans. The hospital holds health fairs, educational workshops, and outreach programs to address various health issues that are common in the community. These are just a few of the activities the hospital does to promote health. To guarantee a coordinated response to disasters and pandemics, Tampa General Hospital prepares for public health emergencies by creating response plans, training personnel, and collaborating with local, state, and federal agencies. Clinical research may also be conducted in the hospital to further medical understanding and enhance public health outcomes. 

Underprivileged communities in the Tampa Bay area can receive primary care, preventive services, and health education from Tampa General Hospital's community health clinic. Services including immunizations, screenings, and chronic illness treatment fall under this category. Tampa General Hospital provides services and initiatives to enhance the quality of life for local seniors and encourage healthy aging. Geriatric evaluations, fall prevention initiatives, and caregiver support groups are a few examples of this.

Federal money for the hospital could come from grants, contracts, or reimbursements for certain initiatives or research projects. For instance, Tampa General Hospital may be compensated for clinical research services rendered to qualified patients by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) or the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Federal laws and guidelines established by organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must be complied with by Tampa General Hospital. The hospital works with federal agencies on public health projects like immunization programs, emergency preparedness, and disease surveillance. For example, Tampa General Hospital collaborated with the CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop immunization, testing, and treatment programs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A joint task group might be formed to improve cooperation between Tampa General Hospital and the federal government. The hospital and government agencies would benefit from improved collaboration, information exchange, and communication thanks to this task group. Members of the "Tampa Bay Public Health Task Force" would come from federal organizations like the CDC, NIH, and FEMA, as well as municipal and state health authorities and Tampa General Hospital. The task force would convene regularly to deliberate on public health goals, exchange information and materials, and create cooperative projects to tackle community health requirements.

Tampa General Hospital and federal agencies can collaborate more successfully to address public health issues, strengthen emergency preparedness, and improve health outcomes for the Tampa Bay community by forming such a task force.

Bourdeaux, M., Sasdi, A., Oza, S., & Kerry, V. B. (2023). Integrating The US Public Health And Medical Care Systems To Improve Health Crisis Response. Health Affairs, 42(3), 310–317.  https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2022.01255 

T., F. S. (2014). Managerial Epidemiology: Cases and Concepts (3rd ed.). Health Administration Press.  https://digitalbookshelf.southuniversity.edu/books/9781567936841 

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The local health department that I am choosing to talk about is my local Suncoast Community Health Center here in Brandon. This is because of location and preference since this is where I am constantly going with my health concerns as an adult. I also admire their programs for the community and staff. Their mission statement is improving the health of our communities, and quality healthcare for all. The services that they provide include family/adult medicine, dental, women’s health, behavioral health and so many more (Suncoast, n.d.). Two current programs that are established for the community that I find very important are the vaccination program and the health education program (Suncoast, n.d.). Both of these services provide the community with consistent and comprehensive care, in which they can stay healthy both in mind and physically. In the Brandon location specifically, the classes are established in the center for all to come in and receive education on a variety of health-related questions and concerns such as smoking cessation, high blood pressure, diabetes, prenatal health care, and many more (Suncoast, n.d.). When looking at the involvement of the federal government I got to see the large involvement that they play in public health agencies all over the country. This is due to their involvement in setting policies, passing laws and regulations, supporting health service research studies, provide resources that benefit healthcare (IM, 1988). So, after analyzing the importance of the federal government in our healthcare and how they are involved in our public health centers. The collaboration of local health centers and the local government has been efficient in the past and this research study stated that it has improved health as well as other areas (Hayes et al, 2012). Examples of their involvement can be seen in policy changes in medicine and the implementation of programs for the community. There is a program that provides books to children called Reach and Read that I find beneficial It has been implemented in clinics such as the Suncoast community center that has received support from government partners. Hoping that this discussion provided some insight into the benefits of a local health department and how they interact with the community and our governments. 

Reference:

Hayes, S. L., Mann, M. K., Morgan, F. M., Kelly, M. J., & Weightman, A. L. (2012).  Collaboration between local health and local government agencies for health improvement. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 10(10), CD007825. Retrieved from:  https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD007825.pub6

Institute of Medicine (US) Committee for the Study of the Future of Public Health. (1988).  Summary of the public health System in the United States. The Future of Public Health. Retrieved from:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK218212/

Suncoast. (n.d.). Home – Suncoast CHC. Retrieved from:  https://suncoast-chc.org/