Cost, Quality, and Access Challenges in Healthcare Delivery

Note: Before completing this Discussion, please familiarize yourself with the Week 2 Discussion 2 Rubric located in the Course Information area of the course navigation menu.

In Discussion 12, you analyzed case studies that demonstrate the different experiences patients may have related to cost, quality, and access to health services. As a health care administrator, you must be prepared to aIDress these issues at the team, department, and/or organizational level. How will you support your organization to contain costs, while providing appropriate access to care that meets quality standards?

Consider the following example:

According to a 2013 article in Kaiser Health News, Gallup Indian Medical Center in New Mexico, a busy federal government hospital on the border of the Navajo Reservation that sees a complex population of patients, learned it would be paid 1.14 percent less for each Medicare patient as a penalty for poor quality scores. Those who gained financially from the Medicare reimbursement policy change included large teaching hospitals and specialty hospitals. For instance, a physician-owned hospital focused on cardiovascular care in Arkansas received one of the largest bonuses (Ray, 2014).

This example highlights some of the complexities surrounding cost, quality, and access that health care administrators frequently encounter. Review the health care challenges related to cost, quality, and access discussed in the Learning Resources. In aIDition, think about similar examples you have noticed in current news or in the literature.

Identify a specific example related to health care, economics, policy, or other pertinent topics that is presented in the Learning Resources or another credible source. If you are an international student, you may select an example from your own country. You will use this example as the focus of your initial posting for this Discussion.

To prepare for this Discussion, analyze your selected example and consider how it illustrates concerns related to cost, quality, and/or access. Also consider potential implications of this issue for the management and leadership of health services organizations.

Post by Day 4 a substantive and cohesive response to the following:

• Provide a description of the example you selected.
• Analyze how this example illustrates concerns related to cost, quality, and/or access to health care.
• Evaluate one or more potential implications of the issue(s) described in your example for the management and leadership of health services organizations.

Reminder: Use clearly identified sources to support your posting and responses.

General Guidance on Discussion Posts: Your original post, due by Day 4, will typically be 3–4 paragraphs in length as a general expectation/estimate. Refer to the Week 2 Discussion 2 Rubric for grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use the rubric to assess your work.