Business w/healthcare respond to 2 students 275 words and 1 reference each

Respond to 2 students DQ 275 words and 1 reference each

Original DQ... DUE 6-15-2016 7:00 p.m EST Explain the difference between pre-service, point-of-service, and after-service. What elements are central to each? Provide an example of how an organization might create a competitive advantage in each of these areas...

(REMINDER) IN HEALTHCARE

Additional Topics (Team Meetings in a clinic) (Quality Improvement in Health Care) (National Health care Quality)

Student 1

he elements of pre-service, point of service, and after service are crucial elements in all lines of business. It is important for a business to continuously create an experience for the client in all stages of service. These stages are essential in not only ensuring organizational success but also ensuring that customer satisfaction is upheld. The largest factor In how successful an organization is depend on how happy their consumer base is with the experience received, prior to, during, and after the services were completed. According an article in Forbes Magazine, Customer experience has reached a level in which it is now more important than the products being sold and can even be a key factor in the marketing of a brand. (Newman, n.d.) 

     Pre service care pertains to all planning stages of the organization. This encompasses all aspects from marketing, products and services provided, market research, understanding the client base as well as the area in which the products are to be provided. This is one of, if not, the most important aspect of these elements. It is not only important to ensure that the products and or services provided are of the highest quality, but also that there is a need for them. This idea of a competitive advantage is a key factor in the success of an organization and this is when the pre service planning come into play. According to the article Startup Location Is Still A Critical Success Factor: "Even in this age of globalization and virtualization, the geographic area where you choose to live and work can still make or break your startup business."(Zwilling, n.d.) Meaning that it is important for a company to understand the market in which they wish to serve in order to assure that they are serving the correct client base and remain competitive in their market. 

     Point of service could translate to post service care which pertains to the care received at the time the patient is seen. This is reflected in the customers satisfaction with the experience received, a direct reflection of the customer service as well as the techniques that are used. Quality of care provided by healthcareprofessionals, and thus received by patients, can be a make or break factor in the success of a firm. According to Quality of Care Information Makes a Difference,  "Quality report cards are becoming increasingly more common and receive much publicity. They can have significant impact on competition among providers, costs, and quality of health care."( Mukamel & Mushlin,1998) Further exemplifying the idea set forth in the Forbes article that customer experience is an important determining factor in the success of a firm. 

     After-service in any line of business is the follow up procedures which take place. With respect to healthcare companies this encompasses follow up calls and scheduling as well as the billing for services. Following up with patients shows a sense of care for the wellbeing of the patient and helps to solidify the bond that the client has to the organization. What sets the medical field apart from others is that it tags on the added factor of billing. An important factor of any business is making sure that the services are paid for but the medical field works differently because the services are often paid by insurance providers. Integrity of a practice take an important role in this portion of the experience of the patient. It happens often that some practices bill for services that were not provided. This oversight on the practices part could affect the way the office's ethics are viewed and even tarnish the reputation of the doctor and the office if taken advantage of. 

     There are often practices located within the same vacinity of one another, and often provide the same services. What keeps the practices competitive is the care received when being seen by the healthcare professional. Personally speaking, I been seeing a chiropractor latley. Her out of pocket pricing and services are similar to others in the area, and do not accept my insurance plan. The practice is five minutes further than a competing office who does accept my health insurance. After meeting with both offices, it was clear that while the office I chose did not accept my insurance and ended up costing a bit more money, the quality of care and the relationship the office I chose had with their existing clients was worth it. That was their competitive advantage. 

Student 2

There are different service delivery methods that health care organizations can utilize in order to gain an advantage over their competitors. The three delivery systems are: pre-service activities, point-of-service activities, and post-service activities. Pre-service activities are a way to establish rapport between the service provider and the customer or patient. Before the patient receives care from a provider, it helps to establish a level of trust prior to the initial interaction. Point-of-service activities are ways to create “value” for the customer once the patient arrives to receive their treatment. After-service activities involve the interactions with the patient after their visit at the facility. All three methods of service delivery can give any health care organization an advantage over their competitors if there is patient satisfaction in those areas.

Pre-service activities involve the patient-provider contact prior to receiving any form of care that creates value. One-way health care organizations often build this area is to create an open line of contact with their patients. This is done by making phone calls to confirm appointment times and being available to answer certain question a patient may have beforehand. Another pre-service activity that may serve as a way to create value with the patient prior to an official visit is to provide information on health related issues either at schools or the workplace. This could be done through school assemblies, special classes, or work seminars. Additionally, another pre-service activity that can build value is financial counseling before any service is provided (“Patient Access”, 2009).

Point-of-service activities are those that create value while the patient is at the facility. An organization may create a competitive advantage in this area by delivering high quality and unique services. My sister, who recently had a baby, delivered her child at what is considered a boutique hospital. It is a hospital that resembles a hotel to a certain extent. It is well decorated and it has a homey feel, unlike the traditional hospital. The hospital rooms are single occupancy and if the medical equipment was not visible, then you would think you were at a hotel. The atmosphere alone is one that is unlike a traditional hospital and I believe that would give the facility an advantage over their competitors since it provides a high level of comfort. Boutique hospitals tend to be more profitable than other hospitals (Halstead, 2008)

Finally, the after-service activities involve the value created through post-visit interactions between the patient and the provider. I believe that greater provider availability can create a competitive advantage for any health care organization that is strong in this area. The University of Pennsylvania Hospital has instituted a system called MyPennMedicine. It’s an online health record system that enables each patient in their system to track all of their information (“Penn Medicine”, 2011). This is inclusive of prescriptions, physician’s notes, lab results, and patient status. Patients are able to track physician messages to each other if they are working with multiple physicians. They are even able to contact the physician him or herself through the portal. It is a way to remain plugged in after the patient visit. Although U Penn is the only health care system utilizing this program in the area, I believe the system will be adopted by more organizations in the future because it keeps the patient informed and more involved. Currently, Penn is at a great advantage because no other health care organizations have this system implemented.