HCS 552 / Read Me First
Read Me First HCS 552
Week Six
Introduction
Currently in America there are three key issues affecting health care. These issues include overcrowding and/or access to services, increased demand for health care services, and resource scarcity. From 1997-2008, service utilization in emergency rooms climbed 22 percent, andnew statistics are showing that over half of all emergency departments are over capacity. Health care services are in great demand, and thus more spending on these services can be seen nationally. In 1965, healthcare spending in the national budget was at 6 percent, and this number is expected to grow to 22 percent by 2025(Noland, Myers, & Green, 2008).And as our population ages, we will continue to see more utilization for services for more chronic conditions. Another dilemma in healthcare is the shortage of workers, and nursing is just one profession that is feeling this impact. Delivery of care is impacted by decreased job satisfaction and decreased quality of outcomes. This makes it very difficult to retain professionals in the field of healthcare (Noland, Myers, & Green, 2008).
These issues in health care are having an impact at the global level, too. Many consumers from other countries come to the United States for care, and in turn, Americans are heading overseas for alternative treatments as well. This form of “medical tourism” is changing the model of healthcare delivery, as well as the supply and demand for services on a global basis. According to Johnson (2008),”Deloitte LLP predicts Americans will spend $8 billion annually to non-US healthcare providers by 2010” (p.1).
As far as resources, nurses are moving from one country to another, further taxing limited resources in many countries. There are also the “Minute Clinics”,which seem to be springing up everywhere, and we have yet to see the impact of these clinics on our emergency departments (Singh, 2006). As health care leaders, our challenge will be to examine the impacts of global market initiatives on the US health care delivery systems. We will need to be visionaries as we are challenged to be ready for the unforeseen impact of global changes and on health indicators for the population. These health indicators could include: decreasing mortality, increasing life expectancy, and decreasing infant mortality, etc.Global trends for the future are encouraging.
As health care leaders, we need to understand the differences in expenditures for health care with middle and high-income countries. There are many international disparities between rich and poor nations when it comes to healthcare. Countries such as Sub-Saharan Africa have very little health care and low life expectancy, and wealthier countries in Europe, North America, and Japan have more health resources to be applied to much less need. Plus we must note that the US is the world’s largest health care market – accounting for 40 percent of all health expenditures (even though we have only 5 percent of the world’s population).
This week in relationship to the course and the program
During Week Sixstudents will apply their knowledge on economics and look forward into the future aswellas globally. Students will focus on the analysis of future healthcare models on a global level, including medicaltourism, Minute clinics, etc. Critically thinking on a global level is challenging for students but the globaleconomic picture changes daily and is important to monitor as healthcare leaders. A major earthquake, abio-terrorism attack, or a new influenza virus can challenge an already economically-struggling world health care system. Another major focus for the future is the area of universal health insurance,pharmaceutical costs, technology, aging population, increasing chronic illnesses, longer life expectancies, and many more. Students will explore how these new and developing changes in healthcare will impact the economic swing of supply and demand for international services.
Many economic leaders are focusing new businesses on the market of global health care. Consumersare more educated and are researching health careservices outside their country. Border States are struggling with the development of border neutral healthcare systems to share costs and services.
According to Karev (2008), the world needs to start to reform global healthcare with a partnershipbetween physicians and consumers. Karev (2008)outlines three new paradigms for shaping health carethrough a global citizen-driven paradigm shift. These three elements include:
- Consumer mobility
- International travel is frequent due to both person’s business travel and personal relocation, and these people need health care services.
- Medical travel
- Increasing demand for The Joint Commission’s international business to conduct accreditation reviews on international hospitals.
- Language and culture
- Language barriers are decreasing, as English becomes more and more the universal language for medicine, thoughchallenges are still present for consumers.
- Health care financing –
- Shifting costs, universal insurance, etc., are all challenging traditional health insurance models (Karev, 2008).
Hints for a reading strategy of the assigned materials
This week you will be visionary leaders and look to the global and future changes in health care. The chapters for this reading assignment help you to become more familiar with these future healthcare trends. As you continue to read your assignments, you will note that there are many concepts related to global and future trends in health care. Some of these issues you will find in your readings and others you will uncover as you research the economic future for healthcare.
There are many excellent Web sites related to global trends in healthcare and these are worth researching. Your reading strategy should also focus on information that will let you distinguish between the various levels and types of service delivery and how these models will change in the future, including home health, hospice, group homes, etc. It is important to consider the regulatory impact on global health care trends such as licensing of health care providers globally and cross borders.
Some questions to ask as you hone your critical thinking
As you read the material, create “why” and “what” questions that will sharpen your ability to apply these concepts. Start asking, “What skills and tools are needed to be prepared for future health care technology? Other questions you might ask while reading include “If I were a health care leader, how would I better prepare my health care organization for future trends and markets internationally? It might also be helpful to think of situations in which you have participated that could illustrate some of the ideas mentioned in the readings.
1)How are inputs combined to produce outputs in health care?
2)How will technology remove the physical boundaries in the current health care delivery model? Identify what the barriers might be.
3)What are the decision points of a career opportunity for a 25-year-old vs. a 40-year-old?
4)How does a wellness program impact the overall cost of meeting the objective?
5)How will data outliers such as length of stay, overall cost of care, and pharmaceutical costs, facilitate collaboration between the physician and the organization?
Summary
In summary, Week Six is an exciting week of learning where students are able to continue to expansion of their knowledge on healthcare economics and apply it on a more global level as they assess the impact of global economics. On a daily basis, leaders in health care institutions are busy reviewing world events and how these events will affect their industry and the world. After this week, you will be able to identify and evaluate key trends for the future as well as global challenges for health care delivery in all countries.
References
Getzen, T. E. (2007). Health economics and financing. (3rd ed.). John Wiley and Sons, Inc., Hoboken, NJ.
Johnson, R. (2008, May) Three forecasts for global healthcare. Healthleaders Media. Retrieved on
November 19, 2008 from
Karev, O. (2008) Healthcare beyond borders. Global Health Landscape. United Health International; United Health Services, inc. p.1-3. Retrieved on November 19, 2008 from
Noland, K. M., Myers, M.,Green, S. (2008) Key issues impacting in U.S. healthcare. B.E. Smith
Consulting. Retrieved on November 19, 2008 from
Singh, S.P. (2006). Expect global healthcare changes ahead. Healthcare IT News. 4/1/06. p. 1-3.
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