BPCC- Healthcare Kendra- Current Events

Current Events Assignment

HCM 201: Health Care Management

For this assignment, you will analyze an article about a current event in the health care industry. Search the web for news regarding a health care management topic/term from our book. Articles should pertain to events happening in our world today (within the last six months), such as something you see in the news.  Do not pick a “how-to” article that gives advice, as this is not a current event. If an article title includes the word “predictions” it is probably not a current event. Your article can mention COVID-19, but make sure the main topic relates to a term or concept in the book. Here are some suggested sites, but there are many more out there…

· https://www.healthcareitnews.com/

· https://khn.org/

· https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/

· https://www.modernhealthcare.com/

· https://www.healthcaredive.com/topic/hospital-administration/

· https://www.hfma.org/topics/landing-news.html

· https://www.healthcarebusinesstech.com/

· https://healthcareweekly.com/

· https://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/

If you would like to double check that your article is appropriate, you may email a link to the article no later than 48 hours before the due date.  Make sure your email includes which chapter and topic apply to the article. 

Upload your assignment through Canvas. Make sure you use the headings (Topic, Title, Article Source….). Outline format is okay; this should not be an essay. This assignment is worth 80 points. Please email me with any questions.

Topic: 5 points

· What is the topic of your article?

· What chapter AND subject content in our book does it relate to? If the topic does not correlate with the chapter and subject you state, you will receive zero points.

Title: 2 points

· What is the title of your article? Use exact wording.

Article Source: 8 points

· Where did you find the article? Be specific. Insert link to article.

· What date was the article published? Make sure it was published within the last six months.

Summary: 20 points (5 or more sentences)

· Briefly, in your own words, summarize the content of the article.

Reaction: 20 points (4 or more sentences)

· Take a position on the issue contained in the article. How do you feel about the event? How does this event affect you? If the event does not affect you, choose another article.

National Impact: 10 points (3 sentence minimum)

· How does this event impact the world?

Grammar/Spelling: 15 points

Example

Topic

· The topic of this article is the lack of direct care workers in Maine.

· This topic is discussed in Chapter 6, Other Clinical and Non-Clinical Health Care Providers and Chapter 8, Aging in America.

Title

· “Direct Care Worker Shortage Leaves Older Mainers Without Needed Help”

Article Source

· https://bangordailynews.com/2021/01/19/news/central-maine/older-mainers-cannot-get-the-help-they-need-amid-direct-care-worker-shortage/

· January 19, 2021

Summary

· Maine has been experiencing a shortage of direct care workers for years, but the shortage has intensified because of COVID-19. Many seniors who would normally receive care at home are going without home health care due to the shortage of workers. Seniors are also spending more time in hospitals because nursing homes do not have enough workers. Representative Jessica Fay believes the direct care worker shortage is due to low wages. She is sponsoring a bill that would increase direct care worker wages to $15 an hour and provide a career ladder for the workers.

Reaction

· I feel that direct care workers in Maine are underpaid and undervalued. These individuals are taking care of our loved ones, yet they are currently paid minimum wage or less. If the new bill passes, direct care workers will receive at a raise of at least 125 percent of the minimum wage. I believe that you get what you pay for, and direct care workers need to be paid what they are worth. Although this article is about direct care workers in Maine, it affects me because my mother has caregivers 16 hours a day. If these workers are in the same financial situation as the workers in Maine, I want to raise awareness of the issue and contact my state representative.

National Impact

· Although this situation is occurring in Maine, I am sure it is happening in other states also. If something does not change, more states will have a direct care worker shortage. Maine might lead the way to higher wages for direct care workers across the United States.