NHS6008_Banta_Lucresha_Assessment2-1

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Capella University *

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6008

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Health Science

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Dec 6, 2023

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docx

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Uploaded by ChancellorCapybara3440

1 Needs Analysis for Change Lucresha Banta, RN, BSN Economic Decision Making in Health Care August 2023

2 Between 2008-2018, healthcare expenditures reached over $8 billion, with a vast majority of spending on chronic disease management such as heart disease, cancer, and neurological disease. There needs to be a shift of focus from illness to wellness. Preventing or delaying the onset of chronic disease will help reduce the cost of healthcare expenditures. As the US population ages, it is crucial to focus on this population as it will continue to be where the majority of Medicare dollars will be spent. Value-based payment models will be essential to helping close the gaps from shifting from a treat model of care to a preventive model of care. Socioeconomic Disparities Chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, cancer, and neurological diseases are the leading causes of death and disability in the US (Stoutenberg, et al., 2023). In the US, 54.1 million adults are 65 or older, accounting for 16% of the US population. It is estimated that by 2040, this number will be 80.8 million. The cost of treating chronic diseases is estimated at $4.1 trillion. Heart disease affects 116 million adults and results in $216 billion in healthcare costs. Diabetes affects 37 million adults for $327 million in healthcare spending. Cancer affects 1.7 billion adults with a healthcare cost of $185 billion. Alzheimer’s disease affects 5.7 million adults, resulting in $305 billion in healthcare costs ( www.cdc.gov ). To help combat the continuing rise of healthcare costs, preventative measures must be in place to reduce and prevent the factors leading to chronic diseases. Insurance companies must continue to drive towards value-based payment models focusing on wellness instead of treatment.

3 Possible Solutions Solutions to decreasing the costs associated with chronic disease management include employing community health workers, community education, and educating medical providers during their medical school careers and current practices. Primary care offices are often the first introduction into the healthcare system. Education has to begin with our primary doctors. These solutions will be valuable as payment models shift to value-based ones. Community health workers are a much-needed yet underutilized resource for chronic disease management. These workers help to establish a connection between the healthcare system and patients. They are responsible for care coordination, health assessments, education, and psychosocial support (Mistry et al., 2021). Community health workers are vital because of their ties to the community. They tend to be more culturally aware of the community's needs and can better provide patient services. According to Wang et al., chronic disease prevention does not have an immediate, measurable effect; however, the long-term benefits reduce the incidence of or delay the onset. Medical schools play an essential role in preparing future doctors to treat patients. Education is the key to preventing chronic diseases, and the education of our providers needs to start at the school level. In findings reported by Stoutenberg et al., it was found that educating medical students about chronic disease prevention and interest in public health programs was most significant during the first year of medical school. Instilling a foundational level of prevention knowledge in medical students will

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