Organizational Assessment

It is no secret that the cost of American healthcare is becoming increasingly more expensive. However, the issue of the rising cost of healthcare and its severity needs to be recognized as a major problem. Health prices are steadily increasing in the United States, and there is no sign of it stopping. Since 1970, spending on American health care has grown 9.8%, which is a rate that is growing faster than the economy (“New Technology”.) Furthermore, health insurance premiums are also increasing at a rate five times faster than American salaries, which makes it difficult for families to afford health care coverage (Zuckerman 28). Therefore, it has become an obligation to address why the cost of American health care is soaring and to seek out a solution to lower the cost. Many would jump to the conclusion that the United States simply charges too much for their medical services, but there are deeper influences that need to be analyzed. The causes of the rising cost of health care are people not using preventive health care, the development of modern technology, and the treatments being overprescribed. A possible solution is to have preventive health care services available in clinics of low-income areas.

Changes in access to health care across different populations are the chief reason for current disparities in health care provision. These changes occur for several reasons, and some of the main factors that contribute to the problem in the United States are: Lack of health insurance – Several racial, ethnic, socioeconomic and other minority groups lack adequate health insurance coverage in comparison with people who can afford healthcare insurance. The majority of these individuals are likely to put off health care or go without the necessary healthcare and medication that is needed. Lack of financial resources – Lack of accessibility to funding is a barrier to health care for a lot of people living in the United States

In today’s society, there is still a great struggle with health care disparities and many lives are affected by the lack of this fundamental program in our society. There are millions of people who die each year because they are unable to afford quality healthcare. The debate still continues about healthcare inequalities, what causes this disparity and who are affected by it. Health care is more of a necessity rather than a luxury and even though skeptics may argue to the latter, it only underlines the importance of the need for the wellbeing and care of individuals. There are several factors that could contribute to the lack of health care in the United States which ranges from but not limited to race, gender, socio- economic status, and lack of insurance coverage. The truth is there is a great disproportion between who can really afford quality healthcare as appose to individuals who have it. One would imagine that an employed individual would easily afford quality healthcare but we could be no further from the truth, since one’s economic status is an essential determinant to its affordability.

There are people who are at increased risk of being readmitted to the hospital: those with comorbidities, older males, and unmarried people. Those living in poverty are 28% more likely to be re-hospitalized (Hu, Gonsahn, & Nerenz, 2014). People who live in poverty commonly do not have health insurance and do not want to/cannot pay for medical care, do not have adequate transportation for medical appointments, or do not have enough health literacy to understand the cause of their condition, how they can play a role in treating it, and why they need to take medication (Wasfy et al., 2014).

The lack of health insurance reached began to become a serious issue in the mid-1990’s reaching a crisis level in the 2000’s. Individuals without insurance turned to emergency rooms across the country to obtain care routine care, turning emergency departments into primary care facilities. In many instances, people who presented at emergency rooms for treatment could not be turned away due to various health and safety regulations; therefore, patients were seen without the ability to pay often leaving the hospitals with millions of dollars in uncollectable debt, subsequently leading to the insolvency of hundreds of hospitals across the United States.

Many uninsured and underinsured focus group participants described going to emergency departments for non‐urgent care because they could not afford to pay for private care and knew they would not have to pay the emergency department charges and/or preferred to be seen as soon as possible. Several informants mentioned that the emergency department becomes a default source of primary care, which is costly and lacks the continuity of care that chronic conditions demand ("Community Health Needs Assessment,"

Many of the uninsured or underinsured are low-income or working families. According to the Kaiser foundation, “…adults are more likely to be uninsured than children. People of color are at higher risk of being uninsured than non-Hispanic Whites” See Appendix 1 (Kaiser Foundation, n.d.). Many Americans therefore go without needed health care each year due to the cost alone. These are the people with chronic diseases that need preventative services that may prove to reduce cost in the long run. With the economy failing the added depression and stress helps to hinder good health.

Within the United States some populations groups face greater challenges then the general public with being able to access needed health care services in a timely fashion. These populations are at a greater risk for poor physical, psychological, and social health. The correct term would be underserved populations or medically disadvantaged. They are at a disadvantaged for many reason such as socioeconomic status, health, and geographic conditions. Within these groups are the racial and ethnic minorities, uninsured children, women, rural area residents, mentally ill, chronic illness and the disabled. These groups experience greater barriers in access to care, financing of care, and cultural acceptance. Addressing these

A key factor affecting access to care is economic inequality. Many racial/ethnic groups are considered to be of low socioeconomic status in the United States. When one has to worry about food and housing, health is not considered a priority. Lack of health insurance is a huge problem that many people face. The inequalities in income means less money can be put towards doctor’s visits and medications. Research done by Shi, LeBrun, Zhu, and Tsai (2011) shows

Individuals who are uninsured tend to be at risk in several ways. They include not having access to preventive care, holding back in seeking treatment may result into more serious illnesses thereby making treatment even more expensive for them to afford. Most public health facilities do not satisfy the needs of many uninsured Americans. Unlike their counterparts, uninsured individuals are

Concern for the care of the patient was one of the mitigating factor for our nation’s development of Emergency medical treatment and labor act (EMTALA) . Enacted by congress in 1986, Emtala was government’s way of ensuring basic screening, stabilization and care for all patients. Non participation with emtala was not an option, since the law tied in government payments to the institutions. Simply put if you want Medicare/ Medicaid payments you will abide by this law. There shouldn’t have been need for emtala since there were already safeguards for indigent patients, but they were not followed, rather seen as guidelines. With the backing of Emtala, patients had better care assurances, and guarantee of not being dismissed. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals stated that “individuals shall be accorded impartial access to treatment or accommodations that are available or medically indicated, regardless of race, creed, sex, nationality, or sources of payment for care” It has been strongly inferred that based on the implementation of emtala, increased numbers of uninsured were using the emergency rooms as their primary source of care. The thought was those without insurance, did not seek preventative care through a primary care doctor, as they did not have way to pay for services, but still received treatment through emergency rooms.

Lack of doctors is only one facet to this multifaceted problem. Accessibility in terms of having the financial resources to obtain care is another. “Individuals in lower social status groups have the highest rates

Brief surveys are conducted on a regular basis by the customer service department to ensure quality is consistent throughout the organization. The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) conducts audits of all manufacturing sites to ensure the proper goods manufacturing practices are followed. The FDA also reviews all standard operating procedures (SOPs) relating to product manufacturing and handling.

Hospital AB and Health Center is a community based acute care general hospital. The hospital is proactive in seeking methods to identify and provide all sources of community benefit and charity care. The mission of the hospital as stated in administrative service manual policy 726 (2005) is “With caring and compassion, we will improve the health and quality of life of the people we service.” The purpose of existence of the hospital is the commitment to patients and community to first understand their needs, second to provide services that meet these needs; and third, the recognition that service and clinical excellence are only achieved if they are delivered with caring and compassion.

Assessment of an organization is a significant measure that help decide the prosperity that is holds. Many companies that are surgically assessed often experience a unique form of growth than its peers. Depending on the size of the company, some company are assigned by the traditional management within, while many big organizations has the capacity to employ an organization consultant team to help them handle a well-coordinated assessment of their organizational growth.