Imagine that you are
the clinic manager of an urgent care center. Recently, your center has seen an
increase in complaints regarding long wait times, inadequate or incomplete
information from staff during visits, and the relatively small number of
insurance types accepted at the facility.
Write a 2-3 page
paper in which you:
- Examine at least
three (3) examples of quality initiatives that could increase patient
satisfaction and potentially reduce healthcare cost. Support your response with
examples of the successful application your chosen quality
initiatives. - Defend your position
on the decision to accept Medicare or Medicaid as potential pay sources for your
urgent care center. Provide support with at least two (2) examples that
illustrate your position. - Use at least two (2)
quality references. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not
qualify as academic resources.
Your assignment must
follow these formatting requirements:
- Be typed, double
spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all
sides; citations and references must follow APA 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:
- Analyze the impact
of healthcare financing and health insurance on healthcare access, quality, and
cost. - Determine the
factors that affect healthcare quality in healthcare organizations. - 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.
Click here to view the grading rubric.
| Points: 150 | Assignment 2: Health Insurance and Quality | ||||
Criteria | Unacceptable | Meets Minimum Expectations | Fair | Proficient | Exemplary |
1. Examine at least three (3) examples of quality initiatives that could increase patient satisfaction and potentially reduce healthcare cost. Support your response with examples of the successful application your chosen quality initiatives. | Did not submit or incompletely examined at least three (3) examples of quality initiatives that could increase patient satisfaction and potentially reduce healthcare cost. Did not submit or incompletely supported your response with examples of the successful application your chosen quality initiatives. | Insufficiently examined at least three (3) examples of quality initiatives that could increase patient satisfaction and potentially reduce healthcare cost. Insufficiently supported your response with examples of the successful application your chosen quality initiatives. | Partially examined at least three (3) examples of quality initiatives that could increase patient satisfaction and potentially reduce healthcare cost. Partially supported your response with examples of the successful application your chosen quality initiatives. | Satisfactorily examined at least three (3) examples of quality initiatives that could increase patient satisfaction and potentially reduce healthcare cost. Satisfactorily supported your response with examples of the successful application your chosen quality initiatives. | Thoroughly examined at least three (3) examples of quality initiatives that could increase patient satisfaction and potentially reduce healthcare cost. Thoroughly supported your response with examples of the successful application your chosen quality initiatives. |
2. Defend your position on the decision to accept Medicare or Medicaid as potential pay sources for your urgent care center. Provide support with at least two (2) examples that illustrate your position. | Did not submit or incompletely defended your position on the decision to accept Medicare or Medicaid as potential pay sources for your urgent care center. Did not submit or incompletely provided support with at least two (2) examples that illustrate your position. | Insufficiently defended your position on the decision to accept Medicare or Medicaid as potential pay sources for your urgent care center. Insufficiently provided support with at least two (2) examples that illustrate your position. | Partially defended your position on the decision to accept Medicare or Medicaid as potential pay sources for your urgent care center. Partially provided support with at least two (2) examples that illustrate your position. | Satisfactorily defended your position on the decision to accept Medicare or Medicaid as potential pay sources for your urgent care center. Satisfactorily provided support with at least two (2) examples that illustrate your position. | Thoroughly defended your position on the decision to accept Medicare or Medicaid as potential pay sources for your urgent care center. Thoroughly provided support with at least two (2) examples that illustrate your position. |
3. Two (2) References | No references provided | Does not meet the required number of references; all references poor quality choices. | Does not meet the required number of references; some references poor quality choices. | Meets number of required references; all references high quality choices. | Exceeds number of required references; all references high quality choices. |
4. Clarity, writing mechanics, and formatting requirements | More than 8 errors present | 7-8 errors present | 5-6 errors present | 3-4 errors present | 0-2 errors present |
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
As the clinic manager of an urgent care center, it is important to address complaints from patients regarding long wait times, incomplete information during visits, and limited insurance acceptance. This paper will examine quality initiatives that could improve patient satisfaction and potentially reduce healthcare costs. Additionally, this paper will defend the position on accepting Medicare or Medicaid as pay sources for the center, providing examples that support this decision.
1. Three Examples of Quality Initiatives
One quality initiative that could improve patient satisfaction and reduce healthcare costs is implementing telemedicine services. This technology allows patients to have virtual appointments with healthcare providers, eliminating the need to come into the center and reducing wait times. Another initiative is offering patient education materials in multiple languages, allowing patients with limited English proficiency to have access to important health information and increasing the completeness of information provided during visits. A third initiative is implementing electronic health records (EHRs), which streamline patient information and improve communication between healthcare providers, leading to more efficient and effective care. These initiatives have been successfully implemented in various healthcare facilities and have shown to improve patient satisfaction and decrease costs.
2. Defending the Decision to Accept Medicare or Medicaid
Accepting Medicare and Medicaid as pay sources for the urgent care center can benefit both patients and the center. Medicare and Medicaid provide coverage for low-income and elderly individuals who may not otherwise have access to healthcare services, increasing patient access to care. Additionally, by accepting these pay sources, the center can receive government funding and potentially increase revenue. Examples of this include the Medicare Shared Savings Program and the Medicaid Expansion program, both of which offer financial incentives for healthcare organizations that provide quality care to patients. Accepting these pay sources not only benefits patients but also the center and can support the implementation of quality initiatives.
Conclusion:
Implementing quality initiatives such as telemedicine services, providing patient education materials in multiple languages, and implementing EHRs can improve patient satisfaction and healthcare costs. Accepting Medicare and Medicaid as pay sources can increase patient access to care and provide financial benefits to the center. These initiatives can support the improvement of healthcare quality and policy.
