Policy assignment

Week 2: A Changing Healthcare Delivery System

The healthcare landscape is changing.

How we pay for healthcare is shifting from a volume-based to

a value-based payment model.

Healthcare is moving away from a hospital- and provider-centered care model to

a patient-centered care model.

Perhaps you have read or heard statements like these in the news or in one of your other courses at Walden. Or, perhaps you’ve had conversations with family, friends, or coworkers about one or more of these topics. So… what does it all mean? How is healthcare reform impacting the way patients receive care and providers deliver care? What roles do major healthcare payers, such as the federal government and large health insurance companies, play in a changing healthcare delivery system? And, what role does healthcare policy play in all of this? Finding answers to these questions begins this week.

This week, you will examine how the delivery of healthcare is changing, including emerging alternative acute care delivery models, their impact on people with acute and chronic health issues, and how policy has driven this change. You will also begin to gather information about healthcare in your community for your first Assignment, which is due in Week 3.

Week 3: Long-Term Care

Frank and his wife, Julie, have noticed a steady decline in his mother’s ability to live independently. Over the past two years, his mother’s physical and mental health have declined. She requires more frequent visits to the doctor and, about 15 months ago, she fell and broke her wrist. Although she healed from the fall, Frank and Julie, who live nearby, are finding it increasingly difficult to provide her with the type of care she needs. They realize that it might be time for her to receive long-term care. To prepare for the conversation with his mother, Frank and Julie gather information about different long-term care options. Realizing that her options are limited because of financial issues, they do their best to select facilities and services that she qualifies for and/or can afford.

Frank’s story is not uncommon. Each day through 2029, 10,000 baby boomers turn 65 (Landau, 2017). Among those turning 65, an estimated 70% will require long-term care in their lifetime (LongTermCare.gov, 2017).

Long-term care encompasses a variety of care services, both medical and non-medical for individuals with a chronic illness or disability. Many health conditions can require long-term care, regardless of the patient's age. However, seniors are by far the largest consumers of long-term care.

This week, you will examine how changes in policy have impacted practice in long-term care settings. You will also explore alternatives to traditional long-term care and discuss your “ideal” long-term care plan with your colleagues. Finally, you will put the finishing touches on your first Assignment and then submit it at the end of the week.

References:

Landau, J. (2017, October 3). Health care dilemma: 10,000 baby boomers are now retiring each day. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/03/health-care-dilemma-10000-boomers-retiring-each-day.html

LongTermCare.gov. (2017). How much care will you need? Retrieved from https://longtermcare.acl.gov/the-basics/how-much-care-will-you-need.html