Assignment 5: Public Health PreparednessDue Week 10 and worth 200 points
You have just been hired as a new Vice President of quality and safety for a full-service 600-bed government healthcare organization. Within your first month on the job, the national security threat level has been raised to Imminent, which means there is a credible, specific, and impending terrorist threat against the United States, and your facility may be directly impacted. The Chief Executive Officer has requested an immediate six to eight-page report of your proposal for handling such a situation.
Note: You may create and /or make all necessary assumptions needed for the completion of this assignment.
Write a 6-8 page paper in which you:
- Examine the existing procedures related to at least four (4) of the ten (10) essential public health services. Focus on the principal effects that these procedures will have on your hospital during the emergency.
- Specify the importance of continuing to evaluate patients, as stipulated by the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), during the emergency.
- Detail three (3) measures that you would use in order to maintain the electronic medical record system during the emergency.
- Defend your position on the decision to accept health insurance during the emergency as a potential source of income for the facility. Provide support with at least three (3) examples that illustrate your position.
- Analyze the extent to which this emergency might affect the quality of care provided to the patients and the unimpeded operation of the organization.
- Use at least three (3) quality references. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not qualify as academic resources.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
- This course requires use of new Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). The format is different than other Strayer University courses. Please take a moment to review the SWS documentation for details.
- Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow SWS or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
- Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:
- Examine information management and health care records and how the legal reporting requirements impact health care.
- Analyze the impact of healthcare financing and health insurance on healthcare access, quality, and cost.
- Analyze the influence of health policy and health reform on healthcare access, quality, and cost in the U.S.
- Analyze tort reform and healthcare quality.
- Use technology and information resources to research issues in healthcare policy, law, and ethics.
- Write clearly and concisely about healthcare policy and law using proper writing mechanics.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
In this assignment, the students are required to demonstrate their understanding of public health preparedness in a healthcare organization during an emergency. The assignment focuses on evaluating the existing procedures related to public health services, maintaining electronic medical records during the emergency, analyzing the potential impact on quality of care, and decision-making related to health insurance during the emergency.
1. Examine the existing procedures related to at least four (4) of the ten (10) essential public health services. Focus on the principal effects that these procedures will have on your hospital during the emergency.
Answer:
Four essential public health services that can have significant effects on the hospital during an emergency are:
i) Surveillance – This involves the collection and analysis of data related to the emergency situation. It can help identify the outbreak, detect and monitor the spread of the disease, and assess the effectiveness of control measures. In the case of a terrorist threat, surveillance can help identify potential threats and their location, assisting in the decision-making process for hospital preparedness.
ii) Community engagement – This service focuses on building partnerships with the community to improve public health outcomes. During an emergency, it can help provide critical information to the public, build trust, and ensure cooperation with control measures.
iii) Emergency preparedness – This service involves the continuous planning, training, and evaluating of emergency responses. During an emergency, it can help ensure that the hospital staff is prepared to respond appropriately to the situation, reducing the potential impact on patients and staff.
iv) Environmental health – This service aims to prevent and control environmental factors that can lead to illness or injury. During an emergency, it can help identify potential environmental hazards, such as chemical or biological agents, and implement measures to minimize their impact on patients, staff, and the community.
2. Specify the importance of continuing to evaluate patients, as stipulated by the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), during the emergency.
Answer:
During an emergency, the EMTALA requires hospitals to provide emergency medical treatment to anyone who seeks it, regardless of their ability to pay. It is important to continue to evaluate patients as stipulated by EMTALA to ensure that they receive the proper medical care they require. During an emergency, resources such as staff, medical equipment, and medication may be limited, and prioritization of patients is necessary. EMTALA ensures that patients are not denied care based on their ability to pay or their social status, and that they receive appropriate medical treatment regardless of the circumstances.
3. Detail three (3) measures that you would use in order to maintain the electronic medical record system during the emergency.
Answer:
During an emergency, maintaining the electronic medical record system is essential to ensure that patient records are accessible, up to date, and secure. Three measures that can be implemented to maintain the electronic medical record system during an emergency are:
i) Backup and recovery plan – A strong backup and recovery plan can help ensure that the electronic medical records are protected and can be recovered in case of data loss due to power outages, network failures, or cyber-attacks.
ii) Redundancy – Implementing redundancy measures such as having multiple servers and data centers can help ensure that the electronic medical record system remains operational and accessible during an emergency.
iii) Mobile access – Providing mobile access to the electronic medical record system can ensure that healthcare workers can access patient records in real-time, even if they are not physically present at the hospital.
4. Defend your position on the decision to accept health insurance during the emergency as a potential source of income for the facility. Provide support with at least three (3) examples that illustrate your position.
Answer:
My position is that the hospital should accept health insurance during the emergency to ensure a potential source of income for the facility. Three examples that illustrate the rationale for this position are:
i) Increased demand for healthcare services – During an emergency, there may be an increase in demand for healthcare services, and accepting health insurance can help ensure that patients receive the medical care they need, without increasing the financial burden on the hospital.
ii) Economic sustainability – Accepting health insurance can help ensure the economic sustainability of the hospital, especially if the emergency lasts for an extended period. It can help cover the cost of medical equipment, staffing, and supplies, ensuring the continued provision of quality healthcare services.
iii) Ethical considerations – Accepting health insurance during the emergency can also have ethical implications, as it ensures that patients receive appropriate medical care, regardless of their financial resources. It also ensures that patients are not financially burdened, adding to their stress during a time of crisis.
5. Analyze the extent to which this emergency might affect the quality of care provided to the patients and the unimpeded operation of the organization.
Answer:
During an emergency, quality of care can be affected due to a reduced availability of resources, including staffing, medical supplies, and equipment. The unimpeded operation of the organization can also be impacted, especially if the emergency lasts for an extended period. Hospitals must have contingency plans in place to ensure continuity of operations during the emergency. Potential impacts on quality of care can include reduced access to medical equipment and supplies, increased workload and stress on hospital staff, and longer wait times for patients. Hospitals should mitigate these effects by implementing measures to ensure the continuous supply of resources, such as effective inventory management, staff training, and real-time monitoring of patient flow to allocate resources effectively.
