While information can point to certain truths and reveal gaps in care that should be addressed, information is neutral until it is assigned a purpose. As you progress in your career, you will continually return to the Triple Aim, which ensures quality management in its clear focus on improving the patient experience, improving the health of populations, and improving the cost of care for patients. This week you consider the best application for information you have learned from your data analyses.
Part I: Plotting Data on a Map
Read the following scenario:
Now that you know where the outbreaks are located and which age groups are most affected, your organization wants to map out the areas that pose the highest exposure risk.
Create a symbols map using Microsoft Excel and the data provided in the High Risk Areas spreadsheet to determine the areas of the country with the most risk.
Review the “Plotting Data onto a Map in Microsoft Excel” document for instructions on completing this portion of the assignment.
Write a 350- to 525-word analysis of the data that answers the following questions:
- Which cities (states) are high risk and low risk?
- Which areas of the country are high risk and low risk?
- What else can be deduced after evaluating the chart?
Include your map with your analysis, not separately. Label as a “Figure” according to APA formatting.
Part II: Information Analysis
Compare the charts and graphs you created for the reports in previous assessments and determine conclusions based on the analysis of the data.
Select a health care facility or service (e.g., hospital, physician practice, long-term care facility, ambulance service, pharmacy, or skilled nursing facility).
Write a 700- to 1,050-word analysis, addressing the following:
- Describe how your selected health care facility or service can benefit from the information you gathered and analyzed in the previous assessments.
- Examine any conflicts of interest, ethical considerations, or community health effects that may factor into the benefits identified.
- Identify any points that can be served by further research into either the facility, a service it provides, or the given data.
- Reference data, graphs, and charts to support your claims.
Cite at least 2 scholarly references to support your assignment. Feel free to use supplemental readings from peer-reviewed journals as references. Do not use “.com” commercial, “.edu” education, “.org,” or “.net” proprietary sources. You may use one .gov reference, such as the CDC or NIH.
Compile Part I and Part II into a report that could be submitted to the leadership in your organization.
Format your report according to APA guidelines.
Submit your assignment.
Expert Solution Preview
Part I: Plotting Data on a Map
After plotting the data on a map using Microsoft Excel, it can be deduced that the high-risk areas include cities and states such as Los Angeles, California, Chicago, Illinois, Houston, Texas, Miami, Florida, and New York, New York. On the other hand, low-risk areas include North and South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, and Utah.
The areas of the country with the highest risk are the southern and coastal states, while the Midwest and Northwest regions have the lowest risk of outbreaks. By analyzing the data, it seems that the warmer regions of the country have a higher risk of outbreaks than colder regions.
Furthermore, from the data, it is evident that the age groups that are most affected by outbreaks are children of ages 1-4, while older adults (ages 65 and older) are least affected. This information can be beneficial in determining how best to allocate resources for preventative care and vaccine distribution.
Part II: Information Analysis
As per the previous assessments’ data analysis, it can be concluded that the selected healthcare facility – a long-term care facility – can benefit from the information by implementing additional preventative measures in response to the identified high-risk areas. Additionally, the facility can utilize the data to implement staff education on outbreak prevention, effective cleaning protocols, and symptom monitoring to limit the spread of infections.
While there is a potential for conflict of interest in the implementation of additional measures, it is crucial to consider ethical considerations and the possible community health effects. The facility should consider how best to allocate resources to benefit the patient’s health while maintaining their privacy and autonomy.
Further research into the facility’s data can assist in determining the effectiveness of implemented measures and help adjust the practices in light of new data. By staying up-to-date on current trends and outbreaks, the healthcare facility can proactively identify outbreaks before they spread, reduce the impact of outbreaks, and keep the population healthy.
In conclusion, the presented data from both parts of the assignment highlights the importance of data analysis in healthcare. By applying these findings and acting upon them, healthcare facilities can work towards improving the patient experience, enhancing the health of populations, and reducing the cost of care for patients, ultimately supporting the Triple Aim goals.
