Instructions: Please answer using your own words in a minimum of 250, maximum 300 words (2 paragraphs). PER QUESTION 6 in total. Referenced with Three (3) peer-reviewed journal articles or qualified text publish within the past five years and follow APA Manual 6th or 7th editions scholarly writing guidelines PER QUESTION.APA in-text Citation formatting is required. When writing replies, please provide your experiences, new ideas, add probing questions to engage readers and new literature on the topic to enhance the learning opportunity.
Questions:
5.1. Communications Strategy
Address ALL questions in part 1 in a minimum of 250, maximum 300 words & 3 references minimum
Select and research one of the following healthcare organizations:
Kaiser Permanente (I selected this one)
Partners HealthCare
Fresenius Medical Care
UnitedHealthcare
NYC Health + Hospitals
Describe the organization’s communications strategy. What messages does it promote? How does it distinguish itself? Is the strategy successful? By What measure?
5.2. Community Benefit Requirement
Address ALL questions in part 1 in a minimum of 250, maximum 300 words & 3 references minimum
Locate and review a hospital or health system’s Community Benefit Report. Based on this week’s readings and your own research, briefly define and analyze Community Benefit”, differentiating between federal and state requirements. Based on your assessment, is Community Benefit is valid construct, or does it measure what health services organizations already do?
5.3. Measuring Community Benefit
Address ALL questions in part 1 in a minimum of 250, maximum 300 words & 3 references minimum
In 2010, the state of Illinois revoked the real estate tax exemption of Provena Health. How would you measure whether your community benefit strategy is working? Be specific and detailed.
5.4 Integrated Health Systems
Address ALL questions in part 1 in a minimum of 250, maximum 300 words & 3 references minimum
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What measurable benefits are achieved by an integrated health system strategy? Identify and analyze an integrated health system. Describe the integration (e.g., vertical, horizontal).What are the specific goals of the strategy? How well are they being met?
5.5 Bigger is better… Right?
Address ALL questions in part 1 in a minimum of 250, maximum 300 words & 3 references minimum
In the 1980s and 1990s, hospitals and health systems went on a buying binge, acquiring medical practices during the expansion of managed care.A generation later, the same phenomenon is recurring with industry consolidation and ACO experimentation.How does now differ from then?Can this trend improve quality and patient choice?Support your conclusion with valid references.
5.6. Data Sources
Address ALL questions in part 1 in a minimum of 250, maximum 300 words & 3 references minimum
Review this week’s references on data based market plans. How are target market “needs” and “wants” determined? What data are used, e.g. census data, insurance claims, primary or local market research, patient satisfaction, financial? What is the best predictor of a successful plan?
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
Kaiser Permanente is a leading healthcare organization headquartered in California, serving more than 12 million individuals across eight states and Washington DC. This organization offers a diverse range of health plans and insurance products along with high-quality care delivery. This paper will focus on the communications strategy of Kaiser Permanente, different federal and state requirements for measuring community benefits, the measurement of community benefit strategy, analyzing a healthcare system’s integrated health strategy, how health system trends differ from the past, and the determination of target market needs and wants.
5.1 Communications Strategy:
Kaiser Permanente has adopted an integrated approach to healthcare communication, promoting the brand with values of compassion, innovation, and excellence. The organization’s communication strategy aims to educate and empower patients so that they take control of their well-being. The message is communicated consistently and is designed to build a strong brand identity. Kaiser Permanente’s communication includes website branding, social media, advertising, and online patient services. The organization’s focus on preventive care and wellness is core to its communication strategy. The communication strategy’s effectiveness is assessed by measuring the company’s brand awareness, perception, loyalty, and customer satisfaction.
References:
1. Farnsworth, T. J. (2016). Healthcare provider branding: Are you invested in your company’s success?
2. Cline, K. C., & Haynes, K. M. (2016). Organizational identity and legitimacy in not-for-profit healthcare.
3. Bhatti, Y. (2019). Healthcare marketing and branding: Articulating a clear message is key.
5.2 Community Benefit Requirement:
Community benefit is a concept that focuses on addressing the health needs of communities while promoting a nonprofit hospital’s tax-exempt status. It is a requirement for nonprofit hospitals to identify and report community service programs and benefit activities. Federal and state governments have different requirements for community benefit. The federal government sets specific criteria that determine eligibility of non-profit hospitals for tax exemption. States have unique criteria that enforce and regulate community benefit criteria. Community benefit is a valid construct that measures hospital care and services that are not compensated and go beyond treating individual patients. It also assesses the activities that impact the health of the whole community. Community benefit reporting is a crucial requirement for tax-exempt status.
References:
1. Rosenbaum, S., & Shin, P. (2017). The role of public health in federal health reform.
2. Lu, M. C., & Halfon, N. (2019). Rethinking maternal and child health care strategies in the era of health reform.
3. Tressel, M. V., Joynt, K. E., & Press, M. J. (2017). Hospital community benefit programs: Increasing incentives and tools in the era of value-based care.
5.3 Measuring Community Benefit:
The Illinois case of revoking Provena Health’s real estate tax exemption in 2010 raises questions about measuring if the community benefit strategy is working. To measure the effectiveness of the strategy, we need to consider a few factors, such as whether the healthcare organization is meeting the healthcare needs of the community, the allocation of resources to community benefit activities, and how the program reaches underserved populations. Assessing the effectiveness of community benefit programs requires objective measurements that are specific and detailed. For example, the hospital should collect accurate data on community health indicators, needs assessments, demographics, and geographic data. The data collected should be used to identify health disparities in the community and prioritize areas of need. Additionally, the hospital should monitor the implementation of their community benefit programs and measure their outcomes.
References:
1. Schmid, S., O’Leary, D., & Hogle, J. (2015). Community benefit: An overview of legislation, IRS guidance, and the hospital experience.
2. Hertelendy, A. J. (2017). Addressing financial challenges of rural hospitals: Can community benefit solutions provide relief?
3. Bridgeland, D. (2019). Social responsibility and healthcare: Suggestions for organizational development.
5.4 Integrated Health Systems:
Integrated health systems are hospital firms that offer a comprehensive range of healthcare services through connected, coordinated care delivery, and assume financial risks. The goal of an integrated health system is to provide high-quality care with improved efficiency and effectiveness by managing the entire care continuum. Integrated health systems have measurable benefits, such as improved care quality and coordination, decreased healthcare costs, and enhanced clinical outcomes. Kaiser Permanente is an example of an integrated health system. This organization adopts a vertical integration model meaning it provides services along the continuum of care, such as physician services, hospitals, long-term care, and insurance plans. The organization’s goal is to promote preventive care, improve population health, and enhance patient experiences. The effectiveness of the integrated health system strategy is measured by assessing patient outcomes, cost savings, coordination of care, and population health management.
References:
1. Emanuel, E. J., Tanden, N., Altman, S. H., Armstrong, S., Bershadsky, J., Cutter, C., … & Ryan, J. (2019). A systemic approach to containing health care spending.
2. Nusem, I., Hovenga, E., & Gogia, S. B. (2020). Analysis of health care and health informatics workforce requirements in Australia: A review of the literature.
3. Sebastian, J. G., & Cohen, K. E. (2019). Health systems engineering at the Mayo Clinic.
5.5 Bigger is Better… Right?
The hospital’s trend of buying medical practices and consolidating has gained momentum in today’s era of ACO experiments. The primary difference from the past trends is the technological advancement and health information exchange that have enabled large health systems to harness shared data resources and implement population health management. The trend can improve care coordination, cost-efficiency, and enhance the quality of care. However, the consolidation trend may lead to decreased competition and impede patient choice. Valid references suggest that the consolidation trend’s impact on healthcare service quality depends on different factors such as market competition, policy frameworks, and management capability and should be monitored to ensure that it does not lead to consolidation in healthcare monopolies.
References:
1. Song, Z., Ji, X., Zheng, S., Feng, L., Li, X., & Jiang, Y. (2017). Consolidations in the Chinese hospital industry: A nationwide analysis.
2. Conrad, D. A., Grembowski, D., Hernandez, S. E., Lau, B., Marcus-Smith, M., Rabinowitz, L. G., … & Smith, N. (2018). Health plan vs private practice: price and service.
3. White, C. (2016). Consolidation transforming healthcare industry.
5.6 Data Sources:
Target market needs and wants are determined by a multilevel process that integrates different data sources. Analyzing census data, conducting primary market research, assessing patient satisfaction, financial data, and insurance claims data are some of the methods used to determine target market needs and wants. Other factors such as data privacy regulations, data relevancy, and accuracy, must also be considered. Matching data to appropriate audience and messaging is essential in designing a successful data-based market plan. Combining data-driven insights with nuanced, empathetic consumer understanding is essential to anticipate consumers’ needs, desires, and preferences.
References:
1. Hruska, T. (2018). Market research as a dynamic and entrepreneurial business.
2. Schmidt, T. J. (2016). Guiding principles for regulatory data requirements for precision medicine approaches.
3. Ryan, J., Whittington, J. W., & Guarneri, E. M. (2018). Collaboration can reduce clinical variation.
