Mission
The department’s mission is to ensure all-round access to superlative, patient-centered, affordable health care services to Los Angeles residents. The high-quality services are provided through the department of health facilities as well as through the partnership with public and university collaborators.
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"L.A. County Department of Health Services (DHS)".
History
The municipal health system is one of the largest in the country, catering to hundreds of thousands of patients through 19 health centers and 4 hospitals. The complicated health system began with humble roots, all the way back in the 1860s. The county administrators hired a physician, responsible for catering to the poor’s health needs. The original small hospital grew leading to the consolidation with other hospitals such as Los Angeles City health and Mental departments.
Services Provided
The department offers a wide variety of services, beginning with adult/family medicine. These services include attending to common illnesses or disease management, specifically through out-patient services (Department of Health Services, 2017). Additionally, the Department provides emergency services for life-threatening situations and chronic health care. It is also worth noting that the institution offers HIV/AIDS primary care, coupled with rehabilitation for those with physical disabilities or spinal cord displacements. What is more, the department provides women’s health services, ranging from cervical screening to gynecology. Children are not left behind through pediatrics while terminally ill patients could also benefit from specialty care options.
Role of the Public Nurse
A public health nurse allows the effective recovery and care of patients, through offering superlative care and minimal errors. A public health nurse is mandated to provide sufficient conditions for patient care, such as ensuring the patient adhered to the dosage or maintaining the physiological vitals. Such actions are conducted through awareness, respect, and humility towards all stakeholders in the health care sector. It is also important for public nurses to abide by evidence-based practice, especially in the course of making professional decisions (Brownson, Baker, Deshpande, & Gillespie, 2017).
Emergency Planning
The department has the optimal number of ambulances, fully equipped to handle even large scale disasters within the county. It is also important to note that the emergency rooms are available throughout the day and night, compounded by pediatric emergency room for children.
Limitations of the Department
The department is not offering specialized mental health services, which should be done in this day and age.
- Brownson, R. C., Baker, E. A., Deshpande, A. D., & Gillespie, K. N. (2017). Evidence-based public health. Oxford University Press.
- Department of Health Services (2017), Los Angeles County Website. Retrieved from https://dhs.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/dhs/services/
