Review the Washington State Health Department (Links to an external site.) and Oregon Public Health (Links to an external site.).
https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/diseasesconditions/communicabledisease/reportingcommunicabledisease/pages/reportable.aspx
https://www.doh.wa.gov/ForPublicHealthandHealthcareProviders/NotifiableConditions/HowToReport
Create a spreadsheet and compare and contrast the differences between the two states with regard to the following:
Reportable diseases and time frames
Civil Penalties for violations (cite the law if applicable)
Indicate the top two reportable diseases for 2015 for Washington and Oregon (10 points)
THEN
Include a short paragraph (100 – 200 words) summarizing your assessment on the two states with regard to comparisons and contrasts between the two states. Cite your sources in APA format please. (10 poin
Public Health
The national public health policy under provision OHA/OAR Chap 333 states that every health care facility, a healthcare provider should report, investigate, observe and collect data for notifiable diseases within the stipulated time frame. The style of reporting and time frames in Washington and Oregon share similar patterns and trends such channels of communication, time and adoption processes. At the same time, individual styles vary between the two states. This essay seeks to discuss the differences and similarities.
Similarities
In both Washington and Oregon, public health departments are responsible for reporting, collecting and investigating mortality and morbidity rate of the confirmed diseases. For instance, Washington state department observes the disease trends, identifies causes of infectious, informs the public and implements rapid mitigation plans to curb the already clinically tested cases. In terms of the time frame, Oregon has report boards indicating the different periods to report diseases depending on the severity and the need for urgent attention. Similarly, Washington State has updated the report posters applicable to centres of medical care, schools and veterinaries on the expected time of reporting on cases the diseases that require urgent intervention.
Differences
Despite the similarities in a timeframe to report notifiable diseases in both states, Oregon State has a more elaborate structure between the healthcare-related infections and diseases emerging from laboratories and other centres of medical care. For instance, Oregon has strict penalties for public health policy violations, failure to report a notifiable disease attracts a $100 fine, subsequent breach $200 while a third violation adds up to $500. On the other hand, Washington has no set penalties for public health policy violations (Oregon Health Authority).
In Washington on average, suspected or confirmed diseases on only selected infections. Health facilities, health care providers, veterinarians, food centres, kindergartens are expected to report confirmed or suspected infections as soon as they arise. On the other hand, Oregon public health department stipulates that all suspected diseases should be reported immediately to the local health care jurisdictions. The report should be based on the severity of the illness/condition and the urgent need for intervention. Washington state keeps an around the clock database for reports from veterinarians on animals diseases exposed to human beings. Veterinarians report real-time data to the local health jurisdiction. Oregon State only observes, investigates, collects and reports suspected infections caused by social interactions and nature.
In 2015 the Washington state department of Health reported Acute Flaccid Myelitis and Aanaplasmosis as the most prevalent diseases in the city while in Oregon the public health department reported other pulmonary disease and Legionella lurking as the infectious diseases. The public health department in Oregon health care is keen on addressing contagious illnesses that are a pose a high risk to the public. Oregon Health Authority also focuses mainly on all emerging and existing infectious diseases. The health department has well-established systems to collect real-time data from licensed laboratories and health facilities.
In conclusion, both states are vigilant on administering the public health policy to inform physicians and the public about the prevalent diseases. Both countries have developed clear regulatory frameworks to foster immediate public health interventions to reduce human exposure to communicable and non-communicable diseases. Oregon public health department is at the forefront of the fight against Vaping drugs that have recently been declared a cause for national. Robust measures have been put in place to cub infectious and contagious diseases.
Works Cited
Oregon Health Authority. “What and When to Report.” 2020. Oregon Health Authority. https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/diseasesconditions/communicabledisease/reportingcommunicabledisease/pages/reportable.aspx.
Washington State Department of Health. “Health Care Providers.” 2020. Washington State Department of Health. https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/5100/210-001-Poster-HCP.pdf.
