Health Impact Assessment: Pennsylvania Hospital

Health Impact Assessment Name Affiliation Course Tutor Date Health Impact Assessment Health care administrators in Pennsylvania Hospital carried out a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) to evaluate the effects of various decisions by non-health sectors on public health. The process uses significant figures of data, analytic methods and direct information from stakeholders to identify the probability of effects from a certain plan, policy, program or project on the general population (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016). This assessment is also made to check if the effects are evenly distributed among the people in the population presented. The health impact assessment evaluates three areas which include; screening, scoping, and assessment, giving recommendations on how to prevent negative health effects and acquire beneficial health effects in the facility. Screening establishes the importance and value of the assessment on health impact. This element ensures that the HIA is contacted when necessary and the probability of getting the right results is fulfilling. The main challenge faced during the assessment is the identification of the right proposals for screening because the option is considered according to the interest of the group executing the evaluation process. The first step in screening is making a judgement if the Health Impact Assessment is value and significant (World Health Organization, 2019). This element majors on considerations like the effects of the proposal on health, whether the health is ready to take such chances, whether the health is factored in the decision making the process and if the data, staff, time and resources can guarantee a successful evaluation in the stipulated period to enhance final decision-making processes. Screening has a duty of establishing a clear decision- making process and context because all the steps taken in HIA proposals require implementations with specific rules and legal texts. The administrators have a duty of identifying any opportunities for changes in the final decision during the evaluation process to ensure efficiency. In most cases, screening is carried out due to public concerns hence the participation of the general public in the process is important (National Academy of Sciences, 2019). HIA reports show the factors considered in the decision-making process because the screening process is not well documented. Consequently, the assessment process proceeds to find out more health impacts. Scoping is used in the establishment of the specific boundaries required for HIA and the health effects under evaluation, most affected population, assessment team, the sources of data and information, methods implemented and the alternatives for evaluation. The choice of evaluation depends on the affected population in certain aspects like the social, political and health status of the people (World Health Organization, 2019). Scoping majors on determining the potential health effects and ...