peer responses #2
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peer_response.docxRules: Please try not to make the responses super lengthy, contribute one fact AND include references
HMGT 420
Talar posted Jun 4, 2016 11:57 PM
Patients who have complex health needs require not only medical. But also social services and support from a variety of caregivers and providers. Facility managers who are part of care coordination could assist patient in receiving optimal care by addressing the challenges in coordinating care for these patients, and offer programmatic changes and policies that help deliver the best services to all patients.
Facility managers can come up with strategic plans based on prior data and make necessary changes based on preexisting conditions. “Patient- centered, comprehensive, coordinated, and accessible care that continuously improved through a systems-based approach to quality and safety” (AHRQ, 2012) are what’s needed to achieve the highest quality care possible in any health care facility.
Patient centered care can’t be achieved with providers only. It requires team work and collaboration among all stakeholders. To improve the quality and safety of patients, health care facility managers can work hand and hand with the coordinated team to provide a system based approach by drawing on decision-support tools, taking into account patient experience, and using population health management approach. Patient preference and needs on what aspects of care to be improved.
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Sarah posted Jun 5, 2016 11:07 AM
As a facility manager, and part of the care coordination team, I would look into models of care that would assist our situation. With the Affordable Care Act in place, there are accountable care organizations (ACOs), which provide models of care (“Promise,” 2013). There are many different definitions and perspectives on care coordination, but all lead to the goal of meeting patient needs and providing adequate healthcare (“Care,” 2014).
Care coordination is essential because each patient can interact with a variety of professionals each visit. For example, for a routine physical appointment, the patient could meet with the scheduling staff, medical assistants, nurses, doctors, pharmacists, and the billing staff. If each one of these member fails to coordinate as a whole, the patient could be harmed or neglected. As a care coordinator, I would be responsible for discussing an individualized care plan with each patient and ensuring that they understand their responsibilities. All barriers should be identified, such as financial, social (language), psychological, and anything that would effect the patient from following their correct plan of care and interacting with the staff (“Promise,” 2013). Another key point is to ensure the medical staff has reviewed the patient’s medical records and ensure that everyone is on the same page. These are just a few examples, because each case is different and each patient will have different needs. Communication is key in promoting care coordination and providing quality health care
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Discussion#2 HMGT 420
· Chronic conditions are defined as “ health problems that require ongoing management over a period of years or decades, and include: diabetes, heart disease, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cancer, HIV/AIDS, depression, and physical disabilities” .With the increase number of chronic illnesses health care delivery challenges have also increased. For that reason, having a strong leadership framework for chronic illnesses are essential to keep patients and health care professionals safe (Helathcare, n.d.).
Today’s education and academic leaders, professional bodies, and other stakeholders need to invest in the training and preparation of tomorrow’s cohort of health care professional. Leadership need to organize care around the patient, emphasize communication skills between all health care providers, need to develop programs to ensure safety and quality of patient care are continuously improved, they also need to improve educational programs where expert professionals can educate employees about chronic conditions and how to deal with upcoming diseases, keep patients safe, and themselves safe at the same time (Helathcare, n.d.)..
Hiring expertise team to teach health care employees and train them will bring positive results. Once employees are educated they can transfer their knowledge to their patients on how to follow a healthy life style. “133 million Americans-45% of population have at least one chronic disease” (Growingcrisis, n.d.). With that said chronic diseases could be preventable, delayed, or alleviated, through simple lifestyle changes. Such as diet and exercise programs.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that eliminating three risk factors such as “poor diet, inactivity, and smoking would prevent 80% of heart disease and stroke, 80% of type 2 diabetes, and 40% of cancer” (Growingcrisis, n.d.). Investing in implementing such programs will help hospitals reduce spending in high cost treatments. Because, if chronic conditions are not treated early it may become untreated later on and can cost hospitals much more if patient stay longer in their care. “In the U.S. total spending on the public and private health care amounted to approximately $2 trillion during 2005” (Growingcrisis, n.d.)
There are much more challenges when it comes to health care. For that reason, regardless to any change all health care leaders have to secure commitment by ensuring that resources necessary for the project are in place. They need to ensure that staff members are equipped with the knowledge and resources necessary to accommodate with any change.
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· Increased growth of chronic illness and the aging population will pose many problems within the health care system. By the year 2030, it is estimated that the over age 65 clientele will nearly triple, and more than six out of every ten patients in the category will be dealing with more than one chronic condition (“American,” 2007). Obesity and diabetes will be two of the top issues these patients will be seen for. Some challenges that come with an increased population and chronic disease will be physician/nursing shortages and an increase in avoidable diseases.
As a facility manager, there are many steps to take in order to prepare for the projected challenges. The main concentration should be in prevention. If the hospital creates initiatives and programs that educate and encourage healthy living, they will be able to connect with the population and avoid preventable chronic diseases. One hospital system I worked for, MultiCare in Tacoma, Washington, has preventative measures in place such as sponsoring community programs. For example, “Pierce County Gets Fit” is a fitness and nutrition event and the “Healthy@Work” program concentrates on weight management, nutritional counseling, and exercise (“Center,” 2016).
Other steps to take would be to create comprehensive care plans for all patients with verbal acknowledgement from them or their caregivers and to implementing technical programs that will track patients with chronic illness in order to ensure they have adequate care and follow-ups. This will help prevent admissions or readmissions to the hospital (“American,” 2007). Steps to address cultural and language barriers also need to be addressed. In order to address the physician/nursing shortages, incentives can be given by the hospital in order to encourage individuals to work for them. For example, some nursing scholarships will pay for college, and in return the student will work for the organization for a set amount of time.
Education is key in prevention. I would encourage the hospital leadership to implement and support community programs and to be up to date on technological advancements. By educating not only the providers and care teams, but the community as well, some projected challenges can be reduced or avoided.
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HMGT 434
· Largest Area of Health Care Spending
Lauren posted Jun 8, 2016 11:22 PM
The largest area of spending for health care is on the elderly. Patients are living longer, so they require more frequent and more expensive care including long term care in facilities and at home. This is a large population known as the baby boomer population. Not only does each individual patient require more funding, but it is a large population of patients, too. Elderly patients often suffer from conditions such as diabetes, dementia, Alzheimer's, COPD, heart disease and joint and muscle pain which require more costly care and attention. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act and the increase in the number of Americans who have health insurance coverage, there is a greater emphasis being placed on preventative care, with some insurance companies offering incentives for consumers who quit smoking or lose weight as both of these can negatively effect a patient's health. It would be ideal for our aging population to benefit from preventative care, which would hopefully in turn decrease the costs for long term care.
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Erick posted Jun 7, 2016 10:07 PM
The market I will focus on is the pharmaceutical industry. The demand curve for a name brand drug can be shifted due to a generic drug being introduced to the market. Due to the high price for a name brand drug, consumers might go with a cheaper alternative and go with the generic drug option. Consumers will use rational reasoning when making a decision. Rationality is when a consumer assesses the opportunities that they are dealt, and chooses among those opportunities in a way that helps their own best interests (Saylor Academy, 2012). The best interest for a consumer choosing a generic drug over a name brand drug is that the cheaper alternative will fit the consumers’ budget. If the consumer has a higher income, the consumer may view the generic drug as an inferior good. An inferior good is a product that a consumer perceives as having low quality (Saylor Academy, 2012).
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