Benefits are a competitive lever in recruiting and hiring employees. The pressure to offer a benefits package that is competitive in the marketplace is significant in healthcare. Florida Hospital, owned and operated by the Adventist Health System, offers many mandatory and voluntary benefits to all of its employees.
Upon hire, employees will receive a letter from the Human Resources department with information on how to access the employee benefits website. Benefits enrollment is the process of selecting the benefits and communicating these choices to the Adventist Health System Benefits Service Center. Benefit changes are only permitted once each calendar year, and per IRS regulations, this occurs in November. This time is known as the open enrollment period for Florida Hospital employees. Employees may attend one of the benefits fairs, held throughout the various Florida Hospital campuses, to make benefits changes or employees are able to make those changes online through the Florida Hospital Intranet. Each of the benefits vendors are represented, allowing employees to ask questions about coverage, costs, and comparisons. By having the vendors come to each of the campuses it creates easier access for employees, especially during the open enrollment period. Adventist Health System maintains an excellent retirement plan for eligible employees. Adventist Health System will match 50% of what an employee would put in, at a maximum of 4% of employee income.
Employer sponsored health insurance is one of the most expensive items in the budget for employers as a results of escalating costs of healthcare. Florida Hospital offers a choice of two health care plans through Florida Hospital Healthcare System (FHHS) to provide medical coverage for preventative care, hospitalization, physician office visits, and other medical services. Both plans are offered to full-time and part-time employees. In addition to the medical insurance (covering outpatient and inpatient coverage) and retirement plan, Florida Hospital offers prescription coverage, short term and long term disability insurance, cancer and other diseases insurance, and a vision plan. Dental insurance is available, offering low premiums and easy use. Dental reimbursement is offered to full time employees after their second employment anniversary. Family members are able to be added to any of these plans.
In conjunction with the Florida Hospital Diabetes Institute, the Florida Hospital Healthcare Systems offers a Diabetes Care program to assist FHHS Health Plan members with diabetes to meet the diabetes standards of care and improve health. Free diabetes and therapeutic lifestyle coaching, free PCP or Endocrinologist visits for diabetes management and free diabetes self-management educations are available to active participants. Enrollment is open to all eligible FHHS members, including employee, spouse, and dependents with diabetes.
Through the Employee Clinic, immunizations, TB testing and flu vaccines are offered at the time of employment and/or annually. (I got my flu shot this year!) Preventative services are covered in both FHHS plans at no cost to the member. Employees are also able to benefit from the complementary wellness screening (biometrics), health risk assessment, personalized Action Plan, and goal setting with the Healthy 100 Employees campaign. Employees that work toward living a healthier lifestyle can achieve points for each goal they accomplish on the way. These points can be used as currency at the online retail store associated with the program.
As most of the RN workforce is female, Florida Hospital most likely used this as a determinant when designing the benefits package. Screening mammograms, bone density scans, and annual physical exams with laboratory work cost employees with FHHS $0. Florida Hospital’s Healthy Pregnancy Programs promotes a healthy start for those planning to become pregnant, expectant mothers, and their babies, with personalized support and educational materials. A Lifestyle Manager screen for high-risk pregnancy and assigns a high-risk care manager if appropriate. Even though it’s not included in the benefits program, The Children’s Academy at Loch Haven, located adjacent to the Florida Hospital Orlando campus, is available for employees to utilize as a means to child care while at work. While this is something each employee must pay for themselves, the Academy’s flexible schedule makes this an ideal situation for working parents.
The Adventist Health System also provides an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) benefit, at no cost, to eligible employees, their spouses, and eligible dependents. The main portion of EAP includes confidential face-to-face counseling services such as martial and family relationships, stress management, alcohol and drug issues, work-related concerns, depression and anxiety, and bereavement. Life coaching services, legal services and financial services are also offered free of charge.
Paid Days Off is the system that pays employees when they take time off from work. PDO is able to be used by Florida Hospital employees for vacation, holidays, personal or family illness, and bereavement. Accrual begins on the first day of employment and employees are eligible to use PDO for time off the first full day period after their 91st day of employment. PDO varies according to employment status (Full-time vs. Part-time/TN), the number of hours worked per year, and the number of years of employment with Florida Hospital.
Florida Hospital Rewards is the Official Employee Discount Program for all Florida Hospital employees. This website helps to connect employees with great corporate and local deals and savings in the community. The discounts available vary greatly and include hotels, dining, automobiles, attractions, travel, real estate, and retail locations. Employees receive a 30% discount on select items at all cafeteria locations and a 10% discount on select Gift Shop purchases at all campuses.
I believe that Florida Hospital is doing a great job at remaining a step above competing healthcare organizations. After looking through all the opportunities offered to all of Florida Hospital’s employees, I can see that they demographics of the employee population were determined when designing the benefits package. There are many ways that employees and their families can access the hundreds of services offered to them – face to face, webinars, phone calls, local clinics, and a network of PCPs – this allows for the coverage to reach farther than it could have 20 years ago.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
The National Strategy for Quality Improvement in Health Care
The Affordable Care Act seeks to increase access to high-quality affordable health care for all Americans. On March 21st of this year, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services submitted the National Strategy for Quality Improvement in Health Care (aka the National Quality Strategy) to Congress. This plan sets priorities to guide the first attempts to providing quality care for all at the local, state, and national level. The National Quality Strategy is said to promote quality healthcare, focused on the needs of the patients, families, and communities. Furthermore, the initiative is designed to move the United States healthcare system to work better for doctors, as well as other healthcare providers.
The National Quality Strategy exhibits three aims for the healthcare system, which will be used to guide and assess local, state, and national efforts to improve health and quality of healthcare. These aims include:
- Better Care: Improving the overall quality, by making healthcare more patient-centered, reliable, accessible, and safe
- Healthy People/Healthy Communities: Improving the health of the U.S. population by supporting proven interventions to address behavioral, social, and environmental determinants of health, in addition to delivering higher-quality care
- Affordable Care: Reducing the cost of quality health care for individuals, families, employers, and government
- Creating safer care by lessening harm caused during the delivery of care
- Guaranteeing all individuals and families are included as partners in their care
- Encouraging effective communication and organization of care
- Promoting the most successful prevention and treatment techniques for the top causes of mortality, beginning with cardiovascular disease
- Cooperating with local neighborhoods to educate residents of the best habits to lead healthy lives
- Cutting down costs of quality care for individuals, families, employers and governments by fostering and promoting new healthcare delivery models
The National Quality Strategy is designed to be an evolving model for the nation, as the United States continues to move onward with efforts to measure and improve overall health, as well as healthcare quality. This plan is just a portion of a broad effort by the Obama Administration to enrich the quality of healthcare. In addition, the National Quality Strategy will serve as a tool to better coordinate quality initiatives between public and private partners.
References:
About the National Quality Strategy, (2011, March 22). Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Retrieved October 24, 2011 from http://ahrq.gov/workingforquality/nqs/
National Quality Strategy Will Promote Better Health, Quality Care for Americans, (2011, March 21). United States Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved October 24, 2011 from http://www.hhs.gov/news/pres/2011pres/03/20110321a.html
Monday, September 26, 2011
Workplace Diversity
Blog 2: Wild Card: Post any topic of your choice related to Healthcare Human Resources.
As the general population of the United States continues to change in its ethnic and racial composition, the composition of the US workforce is expected to change as well. Differences in gender, age, and race not only affect how healthcare will be received but will also affect the people who will provide the care. As health administrators, there must be continuous monitoring of the healthcare workforce demographic, as well as the encouraging of diversity in the workforce membership (Fried et. al, 2008).
With a determined mind set, we must continue to recruit and retain racial and ethnic minorities, because these diverse members of the healthcare field should directly represent the diversity of the population. The Joint Commission recommends diversifying the nursing workforce as a recommendation for addressing the nursing shortage "to broaden the base of potential workers and to improve patient safety and health care quality for patients of all origins and backgrounds" (Fried et. al, 2008).
Growing evidence suggests that individuals prefer to receive care from healthcare professionals who share their racial background and that healthcare professionals are more sensitive to the values and beliefs of patients from their own racial background (Fried et. al, 2008). A study finds that although African American physicians make up only 4% of the total physician workforce in the US, they care for more than 20% of African-American patients (Fried et. al, 2008). A large workload can cause a physician to burn out quicker than a less busy counterpart. Spreading physicians to the rural regions of the United States is one way that we can work at increasing physician productivity time and help to bridge a racial diversity gap.
While the research on this issue is still very new, special care needs to be placed on the issue of granting patient requests for specific care givers. As a future administrator, many problems can arise with this issue, giving in to discrimination or racially biased thoughts. We want to ensure our patients are satisfied with the care they have received, yet not all of their 'wants' can be fulfilled, especially if it can be legally misconstrued as discrimination.
With the move toward embracing and fostering workplace diversity, there is a need for all to adopt new set of inclusive values that pertain to a diverse workforce (Fried et. al, 2008). An organization’s cultural competence allows all to work for pluralistic, multiethnic, and linguistically diverse communities (Fried et. al, 2008). Culturally competent and sensitive care is expected from current and future healthcare professionals. Physicians and other healthcare professionals need to be aware of the impact belief systems, personal biases, and ethnic origins have on a patient’s experience of an illness. A physician that is mindful of each patient’s ways of life ensures that each patient will be satisfied and provided with optimally effective care (Cohen, Gabriel, and Terrell, 2002).
Creating effective policies that promote acceptance of cultural diversity should help create a positive environment for healthcare professionals to work and for patients to receive care. There are so many qualities that make each individual unique and different; such as: languages, social classes, learning styles, ethics, morals, religions, lifestyles, work styles, global perspectives, and military views. Making the acceptance of these different traits the 'norm' is a great step to an all-inclusive workplace and will have a positive influence on how these individuals interact within the work environment.
Rose Mary Wentling discusses some effective strategies for working with diversity in the workplace. She believes that organizations must provide their employees with skills for operating in a multicultural environment. This way the employees can understand their own, as well as other, cultures, values, beliefs, attitudes, behaviors, and strengths and weaknesses.
The Six Best Strategies for Working with Diversity:
1. Training and education programs
2. Organizational policies that mandate fairness and equity for all employees
3. Mentoring programs for minority employees
4. More systematic career guidance and planning programs
5. Performance appraisal systems that are non-discriminatory
6. Outreach programs, such as internship programs, scholarships, targeting recruitment in the community, and lectures at schools
Training and education, an approach used often, can fill a company's needs in areas such as awareness-building; skill building, helping employees understand the need for valuing diversity, educating employees on specific cultural differences, providing the skills necessary for working in diverse work teams, and providing skills and development activities necessary for diverse groups to do their job and have the opportunity for advancement.
Managing diversity is not an easy task, but working through the diversity issues is the only way to ensure that larger problems will not occur later on. An understanding of the factors that influence the disparities in healthcare is essential in developing effective strateies to minimize the problem.
References:
Cohen, J., Gabriel, B., & Terrell, C. (2002). The Case for Diversity in the Healthcare Workforce. Health Affairs 21 (5): 90-102.
Fried, B., & Fottler, M. (2008). Human Resources in Healthcare: Managing for Success. 3rd Edition. Chicago: Health Administration Press.
Wentling, Rose Mary (1997). Diversity Initiatives in the Workplace. Retrieved on September 26, 2011 from: http://vocserve.berkeley.edu/CW82/Diversity.html
As the general population of the United States continues to change in its ethnic and racial composition, the composition of the US workforce is expected to change as well. Differences in gender, age, and race not only affect how healthcare will be received but will also affect the people who will provide the care. As health administrators, there must be continuous monitoring of the healthcare workforce demographic, as well as the encouraging of diversity in the workforce membership (Fried et. al, 2008).
With a determined mind set, we must continue to recruit and retain racial and ethnic minorities, because these diverse members of the healthcare field should directly represent the diversity of the population. The Joint Commission recommends diversifying the nursing workforce as a recommendation for addressing the nursing shortage "to broaden the base of potential workers and to improve patient safety and health care quality for patients of all origins and backgrounds" (Fried et. al, 2008).
Growing evidence suggests that individuals prefer to receive care from healthcare professionals who share their racial background and that healthcare professionals are more sensitive to the values and beliefs of patients from their own racial background (Fried et. al, 2008). A study finds that although African American physicians make up only 4% of the total physician workforce in the US, they care for more than 20% of African-American patients (Fried et. al, 2008). A large workload can cause a physician to burn out quicker than a less busy counterpart. Spreading physicians to the rural regions of the United States is one way that we can work at increasing physician productivity time and help to bridge a racial diversity gap.
While the research on this issue is still very new, special care needs to be placed on the issue of granting patient requests for specific care givers. As a future administrator, many problems can arise with this issue, giving in to discrimination or racially biased thoughts. We want to ensure our patients are satisfied with the care they have received, yet not all of their 'wants' can be fulfilled, especially if it can be legally misconstrued as discrimination.
With the move toward embracing and fostering workplace diversity, there is a need for all to adopt new set of inclusive values that pertain to a diverse workforce (Fried et. al, 2008). An organization’s cultural competence allows all to work for pluralistic, multiethnic, and linguistically diverse communities (Fried et. al, 2008). Culturally competent and sensitive care is expected from current and future healthcare professionals. Physicians and other healthcare professionals need to be aware of the impact belief systems, personal biases, and ethnic origins have on a patient’s experience of an illness. A physician that is mindful of each patient’s ways of life ensures that each patient will be satisfied and provided with optimally effective care (Cohen, Gabriel, and Terrell, 2002).
Creating effective policies that promote acceptance of cultural diversity should help create a positive environment for healthcare professionals to work and for patients to receive care. There are so many qualities that make each individual unique and different; such as: languages, social classes, learning styles, ethics, morals, religions, lifestyles, work styles, global perspectives, and military views. Making the acceptance of these different traits the 'norm' is a great step to an all-inclusive workplace and will have a positive influence on how these individuals interact within the work environment.
Rose Mary Wentling discusses some effective strategies for working with diversity in the workplace. She believes that organizations must provide their employees with skills for operating in a multicultural environment. This way the employees can understand their own, as well as other, cultures, values, beliefs, attitudes, behaviors, and strengths and weaknesses.
The Six Best Strategies for Working with Diversity:
1. Training and education programs
2. Organizational policies that mandate fairness and equity for all employees
3. Mentoring programs for minority employees
4. More systematic career guidance and planning programs
5. Performance appraisal systems that are non-discriminatory
6. Outreach programs, such as internship programs, scholarships, targeting recruitment in the community, and lectures at schools
Training and education, an approach used often, can fill a company's needs in areas such as awareness-building; skill building, helping employees understand the need for valuing diversity, educating employees on specific cultural differences, providing the skills necessary for working in diverse work teams, and providing skills and development activities necessary for diverse groups to do their job and have the opportunity for advancement.
Managing diversity is not an easy task, but working through the diversity issues is the only way to ensure that larger problems will not occur later on. An understanding of the factors that influence the disparities in healthcare is essential in developing effective strateies to minimize the problem.
References:
Cohen, J., Gabriel, B., & Terrell, C. (2002). The Case for Diversity in the Healthcare Workforce. Health Affairs 21 (5): 90-102.
Fried, B., & Fottler, M. (2008). Human Resources in Healthcare: Managing for Success. 3rd Edition. Chicago: Health Administration Press.
Wentling, Rose Mary (1997). Diversity Initiatives in the Workplace. Retrieved on September 26, 2011 from: http://vocserve.berkeley.edu/CW82/Diversity.html
Saturday, August 27, 2011
What does Human Resources mean to me?
When I hear the term "Human Resources," I immediately think of individuals that work as liaisons between the individual employees and the company that they work for. HR needs to ensure that a proper balance is met so both employee and company have their needs met. I most often think of human resouces as employee advocates.
Pulling from previous knowledge, I know Human Resources (HR) is responsible for a variety of tasks, including: recruitment and selection of new employees; performance and behavior management; and training and educational developement of employees. While HR performs these tasks, the field of human resources is changing and a multitude of other responsibilities is being added. HR plays a role in salary and employee benefits, team building and communication, ensuring the company complies with local, state, and federal labor laws, and strengthening the development of the organization.
Health care organizations are like any other company in that there is a need to ensure that each aspect of the organization runs smoothly. Human Resources is just as apparent in health care organizations as it is in other companies. I believe HR in the health care setting is a little trickier because it is combining clinical and non-clinical staff.
For example, I previously mentioned that HR is responsible for recruitment and selection of new employees. In the health care setting, it is essential to consider both skill and training levels of any new employees. An employee cannot be hired to perform specific tasks in regards to patient care if they have not properly been trained. In other arenas, such as finance, you do not have to be specifically trained on how to do an expense report; it's something that you can be taught on your first day or you can pick it up as you go along. However, the health care is not a field that you can simply learn on the go. Employees need to have gone to school, been trained, passed certification exams and more, just to be considered for a position. HR needs to be sure that employees are accurate with the information they provide on their applications, because lives are at stake.
Human Resources is also required to ensure that employees are receiving up to date training and education sessions as new information is released in the health care field. Health care is changing constantly, and employees need to have the latest information so they may make the best decisions for their patients.
Another example of the importance of human resources in the health care field can be seen through the promotion of effective communication and team building. HR is mostly responsible for ensuring that employees are working together for the good of the company. In health care, employees are not only trying to ensure that they make their health care organziation look presentable, but that the patient receives top quality care. By improving team morale and team building, communication can be effectively improved. Improvement in employee communication and performance, allows for a greater opportunity for a patient to receive quality care.
I believe that proper management of human resources is critical in providing high quality of health care. I think that HR management strategies are greatly needed to achieve better health care around the country. Since health care is delivered by people and to people, I believe that improvement of HR issues is required to improve the care given by any health care organization.
Pulling from previous knowledge, I know Human Resources (HR) is responsible for a variety of tasks, including: recruitment and selection of new employees; performance and behavior management; and training and educational developement of employees. While HR performs these tasks, the field of human resources is changing and a multitude of other responsibilities is being added. HR plays a role in salary and employee benefits, team building and communication, ensuring the company complies with local, state, and federal labor laws, and strengthening the development of the organization.
Health care organizations are like any other company in that there is a need to ensure that each aspect of the organization runs smoothly. Human Resources is just as apparent in health care organizations as it is in other companies. I believe HR in the health care setting is a little trickier because it is combining clinical and non-clinical staff.
For example, I previously mentioned that HR is responsible for recruitment and selection of new employees. In the health care setting, it is essential to consider both skill and training levels of any new employees. An employee cannot be hired to perform specific tasks in regards to patient care if they have not properly been trained. In other arenas, such as finance, you do not have to be specifically trained on how to do an expense report; it's something that you can be taught on your first day or you can pick it up as you go along. However, the health care is not a field that you can simply learn on the go. Employees need to have gone to school, been trained, passed certification exams and more, just to be considered for a position. HR needs to be sure that employees are accurate with the information they provide on their applications, because lives are at stake.
Human Resources is also required to ensure that employees are receiving up to date training and education sessions as new information is released in the health care field. Health care is changing constantly, and employees need to have the latest information so they may make the best decisions for their patients.
Another example of the importance of human resources in the health care field can be seen through the promotion of effective communication and team building. HR is mostly responsible for ensuring that employees are working together for the good of the company. In health care, employees are not only trying to ensure that they make their health care organziation look presentable, but that the patient receives top quality care. By improving team morale and team building, communication can be effectively improved. Improvement in employee communication and performance, allows for a greater opportunity for a patient to receive quality care.
I believe that proper management of human resources is critical in providing high quality of health care. I think that HR management strategies are greatly needed to achieve better health care around the country. Since health care is delivered by people and to people, I believe that improvement of HR issues is required to improve the care given by any health care organization.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Impending Physician Shortage
As a future healthcare administrator, one of our main concerns is ensuring that patients and customers are provided with quality health care. Whether the quality is in relation to increased access to care, the environment in which care is provided, or the outcome of the care provided, one common factor is the physician (or physicians) that provide said care.
According to an April 2010 article from the Wall Street Journal, Suzanne Sataline investigates the relation between the rising number of insured patients and the number of physicians able to provide primary care to these patients. Experts are worried that the new healthcare law will allow for more to be able to receive care, yet there won't be enough physicians to treat everyone.
According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, our nation could face a shortage of as many as 150,000 doctors by 2025. The greatest need for physicians is in the department of internal medicine and family medicine. The new healthcare law pushes for an increased role of primary care in each patient's life, but with a shortage of these physicians, patients could face limited access to their doctors and longer wait times.
Many problems are contributing to the shortage and the end doesn't look like it's anywhere in sight. Students entering the medical field have desires to specialize in areas other than family medicine and general practice. After going to school for many years and accruing sizable debt, new doctors are more likely to specialize in areas in which money can be made faster. Current physicians are aging into retirement or even becoming ill themselves, as is the case in Rochester, NY. On July 14, 2011, WHEC-News 10 in Rochester, NY reports that thousands are looking for new primary are providers, after theirs have had to leave practice. Rural areas are having difficulty attracting physicians to want to come practice in those areas.
Adding more fuel to the fire is the fact that there are only so many Residency postitions throughout the various teaching hospitals in the United States. The Association of American Medical Colleges estimates that there are about 110,000 spots for residents, and teaching hospitals rely heavily on Medicare to pay for these spots. A cap imposed in 1997 by Congress makes it difficult for hospitals to increase the number of residents they can accept. Not helping in the issue, some hospitals have even been faced with the decision of removing their "teaching hospital" status, in an attempt to improve the level of care being provided to patients.
Some solutions have begun in attempt to solve this crisis, such as redistributing unused residency slots to other institutions. The thought is that most of these redistributed slots will go to those seeking primary care and general surgery residencies. Educators, such as those at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, have been increasing the number of students in their classes. The University also established a satellite campus, in an effort to give students more experience and boost the number of primary-care providers entering the field. Some programs even ask their students to commit to rural medicine, in hopes that the students will stay in the area to practice after graduation.
References:
Vernon, Jamila. June 20, 2011. "Medical School Enrollment Continued Growth in 2010." Retrieved July 20, 2011 from https://www.aamc.org/newsroom/newsreleases/2011/251754/110620.html
"Primary Care Physician Shortage," July 14, 2011. Retrieved July 20, 2011 from http://www.whec.com/news/stories/s2199576.shtml
Sataline, Suzanne & Wang, Shirley S. April 12, 2010. "Medical Schools Can't Keep Up." The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved July 20, 2011 from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304506904575180331528424238.html
According to an April 2010 article from the Wall Street Journal, Suzanne Sataline investigates the relation between the rising number of insured patients and the number of physicians able to provide primary care to these patients. Experts are worried that the new healthcare law will allow for more to be able to receive care, yet there won't be enough physicians to treat everyone.
According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, our nation could face a shortage of as many as 150,000 doctors by 2025. The greatest need for physicians is in the department of internal medicine and family medicine. The new healthcare law pushes for an increased role of primary care in each patient's life, but with a shortage of these physicians, patients could face limited access to their doctors and longer wait times.
Many problems are contributing to the shortage and the end doesn't look like it's anywhere in sight. Students entering the medical field have desires to specialize in areas other than family medicine and general practice. After going to school for many years and accruing sizable debt, new doctors are more likely to specialize in areas in which money can be made faster. Current physicians are aging into retirement or even becoming ill themselves, as is the case in Rochester, NY. On July 14, 2011, WHEC-News 10 in Rochester, NY reports that thousands are looking for new primary are providers, after theirs have had to leave practice. Rural areas are having difficulty attracting physicians to want to come practice in those areas.
Adding more fuel to the fire is the fact that there are only so many Residency postitions throughout the various teaching hospitals in the United States. The Association of American Medical Colleges estimates that there are about 110,000 spots for residents, and teaching hospitals rely heavily on Medicare to pay for these spots. A cap imposed in 1997 by Congress makes it difficult for hospitals to increase the number of residents they can accept. Not helping in the issue, some hospitals have even been faced with the decision of removing their "teaching hospital" status, in an attempt to improve the level of care being provided to patients.
Some solutions have begun in attempt to solve this crisis, such as redistributing unused residency slots to other institutions. The thought is that most of these redistributed slots will go to those seeking primary care and general surgery residencies. Educators, such as those at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, have been increasing the number of students in their classes. The University also established a satellite campus, in an effort to give students more experience and boost the number of primary-care providers entering the field. Some programs even ask their students to commit to rural medicine, in hopes that the students will stay in the area to practice after graduation.
References:
Vernon, Jamila. June 20, 2011. "Medical School Enrollment Continued Growth in 2010." Retrieved July 20, 2011 from https://www.aamc.org/newsroom/newsreleases/2011/251754/110620.html
"Primary Care Physician Shortage," July 14, 2011. Retrieved July 20, 2011 from http://www.whec.com/news/stories/s2199576.shtml
Sataline, Suzanne & Wang, Shirley S. April 12, 2010. "Medical Schools Can't Keep Up." The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved July 20, 2011 from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304506904575180331528424238.html
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
The Importance of the Patient's Perspective
Many will argue that the most important aspect of medical care is the knowledge and training the physician possesses; however others believe that the patient’s perspective on the care being received is more important. With approximately 100,000 to 200,000 deaths occurring from medical errors each year, patients and their families take a significant risk in the health care system when they seek treatment from a hospital or doctor. Trust is a defining element in an interpersonal relationship, but it is particularly central to the patient-physician relationship. Without trust in the physician and other medical staff providing care, the patient may not be fully willing to participate and cooperate in the medical treatment they would need.
In the event of an adverse medical event, the patient is the best determinant as to whether or not such an event has occurred. The patient is the one being served by medical professionals, and is the one who can account for the amount of pain being felt, the symptoms they have experienced, or effects of the treatment they are currently receiving. All of this information, along with laboratory and radiology reports, is critical to the physician’s final diagnosis. However, many times the patient’s voice is absent in the discussions about how to improve health care. Sometimes patients are too ill or lack the resources to take an active role in improving their health care quality. Patients and families then rely on the information of the physicians and other medical staff to ensure that information is properly relayed.
Patients and their families deserve to have a central role in improving healthcare quality. Informing healthcare professionals of any adverse medical events or medical errors, the patient’s experiences can be used by doctors and hospitals to help inform their quality improvement efforts.
References:
Pearson, Steven D., and Raeke, Lisa H. (2000). Patients’ trust in physicians: Many theories, few measures, and little data. Society of General Internal Medicine. Boston, MA.
In the event of an adverse medical event, the patient is the best determinant as to whether or not such an event has occurred. The patient is the one being served by medical professionals, and is the one who can account for the amount of pain being felt, the symptoms they have experienced, or effects of the treatment they are currently receiving. All of this information, along with laboratory and radiology reports, is critical to the physician’s final diagnosis. However, many times the patient’s voice is absent in the discussions about how to improve health care. Sometimes patients are too ill or lack the resources to take an active role in improving their health care quality. Patients and families then rely on the information of the physicians and other medical staff to ensure that information is properly relayed.
Patients and their families deserve to have a central role in improving healthcare quality. Informing healthcare professionals of any adverse medical events or medical errors, the patient’s experiences can be used by doctors and hospitals to help inform their quality improvement efforts.
References:
Pearson, Steven D., and Raeke, Lisa H. (2000). Patients’ trust in physicians: Many theories, few measures, and little data. Society of General Internal Medicine. Boston, MA.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Improving Veterans' Access to Care
Access to healthcare has been identified as a critical issue by the medical community, as well as by those in the veteran's affairs deparement. Historically, VA patients were able to obtain the healthcare they needed within an appropriate time frame. New research provides us with an updated concept of access that places a greater focus on post-access outcomes such as patient satisfaction, symptom levels, and functioning.
Most commonly studied was the association between distance from a VA facility and healthcare use, primarily outpatient or mental health services used. Evidence showed that increased distance from a VA facility was associated with decreased healthcare use. For those living 60 miles or more away from a facility, there was little change in the data received.
David Goldstein investigates the dilemma veterans in rural areas are facing, such as Frank Munk who must drive nearly 300 miles to a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital. Instead, Munk pays $2,500 out of pocket on a private doctor. The VA won't pay for a veteran to see an out-of-network doctor if the same care is available within the system - even if it's more convenient. 41% of enrollees in the VA health system (that's about 3 million veterans) are living in rural areas, unable to get the care they qualify for.
An internal audit of the efforts to improve health care for rural veterans concluded that the VA "lacked reasonable assurance" that its use of $273 million actually "improved access and quality of care" for veterans. Due to a lack of project performance measures, the VA office was unable to tell how effective their projects actually were.
In an attempt to cut costs yet still provide care, the VA has been using telemedicine to reach out to veterans from all war eras. Telemedicine allows patient to be diagnosed and treated via electronic communication. Another way rural veterans are able to receive medical care is through a network of about 800 community-based outpatient clinics that provide basic medical care such as chechups, X-rays and prescriptions. Yet for those veterans who have chronic or severe medical problems, the options for care are few.
While there appears to be a general agreement that VA hospitals provide good medical care, the system has been under stress due to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Few expected these wars would last so long, or that there would be such a flood of patients, with severe injuries. Rural America is home to more than a third of the Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who are enrolled in the VA. VA spokesman Josh Taylor says the department is committed to expanding access to rural veterans. While the physical signs of battle are most often quickly cared for, the psychological wounds will require years, or even a lifetime to heal.
It was the veteran's choice to step up and serve our country, and now it is the VA's responsibility to provide the care they deserve.
Goldstein, David. (2011, June 7). For veterans in rural areas, health care can be a battle. McClatchy Newspapers.
Most commonly studied was the association between distance from a VA facility and healthcare use, primarily outpatient or mental health services used. Evidence showed that increased distance from a VA facility was associated with decreased healthcare use. For those living 60 miles or more away from a facility, there was little change in the data received.
David Goldstein investigates the dilemma veterans in rural areas are facing, such as Frank Munk who must drive nearly 300 miles to a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital. Instead, Munk pays $2,500 out of pocket on a private doctor. The VA won't pay for a veteran to see an out-of-network doctor if the same care is available within the system - even if it's more convenient. 41% of enrollees in the VA health system (that's about 3 million veterans) are living in rural areas, unable to get the care they qualify for.
An internal audit of the efforts to improve health care for rural veterans concluded that the VA "lacked reasonable assurance" that its use of $273 million actually "improved access and quality of care" for veterans. Due to a lack of project performance measures, the VA office was unable to tell how effective their projects actually were.
In an attempt to cut costs yet still provide care, the VA has been using telemedicine to reach out to veterans from all war eras. Telemedicine allows patient to be diagnosed and treated via electronic communication. Another way rural veterans are able to receive medical care is through a network of about 800 community-based outpatient clinics that provide basic medical care such as chechups, X-rays and prescriptions. Yet for those veterans who have chronic or severe medical problems, the options for care are few.
While there appears to be a general agreement that VA hospitals provide good medical care, the system has been under stress due to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Few expected these wars would last so long, or that there would be such a flood of patients, with severe injuries. Rural America is home to more than a third of the Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who are enrolled in the VA. VA spokesman Josh Taylor says the department is committed to expanding access to rural veterans. While the physical signs of battle are most often quickly cared for, the psychological wounds will require years, or even a lifetime to heal.
It was the veteran's choice to step up and serve our country, and now it is the VA's responsibility to provide the care they deserve.
Goldstein, David. (2011, June 7). For veterans in rural areas, health care can be a battle. McClatchy Newspapers.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
What Does Quality Mean?
"Quality" has many different meanings; in philosophy it could refer to an attribute or property, in business it could refer to the non-inferiority or superiority of something, or it could be describing the ratio of mass of vapor to that of vapor and liquid (ie: vapor quality). Along with it's different uses, "quality" can be described in a cornucopia of ways by varying individuals. For the purposes of this Blog and for this course, quality will be discussed as it relates to healthcare.
Since I want to look at healthcare quality, this still doesn't mean that there are one or two ways to define quality. I used to believe that quality was best defined as access to care, or at that time I knew it best as the amount of time it took to see the doctor. As my education furthered, and I began to learn more about the administrative side to healthcare, I have since changed my definition of quality. I now know that access, along with cost of services, physician diagnosis/treatment recommendation, and clinical outcomes are many different aspects of healthcare quality.
Quality could describe the type of care being given, the employee who is giving the care, or the environment the care is being given in. Productivity, efficiency, and ability to make personal connections are just a few of the markers one uses to assess the healthcare professional providing the care. With many different arenas to judge healthcare quality, we rely on the consumers to give feedback and criticisms, so improvements can be made when needed. Through surveys, comment cards, personal recommendations and more, those in healthcare are constantly looking to the feedback of consumers to gauge the quality of the services being provided.
Since I want to look at healthcare quality, this still doesn't mean that there are one or two ways to define quality. I used to believe that quality was best defined as access to care, or at that time I knew it best as the amount of time it took to see the doctor. As my education furthered, and I began to learn more about the administrative side to healthcare, I have since changed my definition of quality. I now know that access, along with cost of services, physician diagnosis/treatment recommendation, and clinical outcomes are many different aspects of healthcare quality.
Quality could describe the type of care being given, the employee who is giving the care, or the environment the care is being given in. Productivity, efficiency, and ability to make personal connections are just a few of the markers one uses to assess the healthcare professional providing the care. With many different arenas to judge healthcare quality, we rely on the consumers to give feedback and criticisms, so improvements can be made when needed. Through surveys, comment cards, personal recommendations and more, those in healthcare are constantly looking to the feedback of consumers to gauge the quality of the services being provided.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)