Identify one evidence-based strategy for leading efforts to attain optimal health for populations, on a local, national, or global scale.
Dr. Bartelt and fellow classmates, one effective strategy for leading efforts in optimizing health for populations on all scales is to involve all stakeholders that are affected in the population (Meit & Knudson, 2020).  Efforts to include all stakeholders by healthcare leadership are more well received and attain more effective results.  Stakeholders who are often overlooked for population health efforts are rural citizens who have less than adequate access to healthcare resources and significant disparities to receive healthcare services (Meit & Knudson, 2020).  Inequities vary by geographic location and these inequities allow leaders to make informed decisions and design interventions that make rural areas healthier, which is the overall goal of population health (Meit & Knudson, 2020).  By incorporating the strengths of rural populations, we can fully capture this stakeholder to achieve more effective and meaningful population health outcomes. 
Describe one evidence-based strategy for leading population healthcare reform efforts within and across healthcare systems.
Leading population healthcare reform is one the DNP leader is well suited for and is poised to make a significant impact that affects all realms of healthcare.  To influence healthcare reform, we must ensure that dynamic measures are utilized that prioritize diversity and cultural competence while delivering a strong value and sustainability (Warner et al., 2020).  Since the implementation of the affordable care act, more people have been extended insurance coverage, but coverages seem to be declining due to increasing healthcare costs, which creates unique challenges to overcome to impact population health (Buerhaus, 2020).  The task of implementing efforts to reduce healthcare disparity through early screening can impact population health over an extended period, reducing healthcare costs and associated increases that lead to overall improvements in health and wellness for the population (Warner et al., 2020).
Describe one program designed to improve the health of populations.  How will you help advance the outcomes of this program?
Birth to Three is an excellent program that is used by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources to improve population health in infants, reducing disparities later in life.  The program is conducted statewide, and the target population is infants under the age of three who have a delay in their development or may be at risk for having a delay.  The program is conducted under the auspices of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) and assures that family-centered community-based services are available to all children and families at no cost.  This program assures that any child born with a cognitive, physical, social/emotional, adaptive, or communication delay can receive specialty services as well as family support to reduce the long-term impacts of these delays, increasing their chances of a meaningful life. 
I can help advance these outcomes in my current practice by routinely screening and diagnosing children in this age group that are at-risk for developmental delays and help reduce disparities for the families of these children to increase their chances of benefiting from this program.  My healthcare system offers additional benefits such as transportation vouchers to help reduce disparities like this and to assure there is no interruption in services.  I truly believe this is a beneficial program that can impact population health significantly and one that I can help advance outcomes for. 
References
Buerhaus, P. I. (2020). Demystifying national healthcare reform proposals: Implications for nurses. Nursing Economics, 38(2), 58“64. https://chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=142593288&site=eds-live&scope=site (Links to an external site.)
Meit, M., & Knudson, A. (2020). Leveraging rural strengths to overcome population health challenges. American Journal of Public Health, 110(9), 1281“1282. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2020.305641 (Links to an external site.)
Warner, J. J., Benjamin, I. J., Churchwell, K., Firestone, G., Gardner, T. J., Johnson, J. C., Ng-Osorio, J., Rodriguez, C. J., Todman, L., Yaffe, K., Yancy, C. W., & Harrington, R. A. (2020). Advancing healthcare reform: The American Heart Association’s 2020 statement of principles for adequate, accessible, and affordable health care: A presidential advisory from the American Heart Association. Circulation, 141(10), e601“e614. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000759 (Links to an external site.)
I NEED A COMMENT FOR THIS DISCUSSION BOARD WITH AT LEAST 2 PARAGRAPHS AND USE AT LEAST 3 SOURCES NO LATER THAN 5 YEARS.