Question 1.

Please examine the Case Study (that demonstrates how a population health case was enacted in an ACO using the PDSA improvement model) outlined on pages 293 - 295 of the textbook Introduction to Healthcare Management, third edition. Then identify two (2) shortfalls in the Plan and the Study results. What could have been done to improve the Plan?

Question 2.

Please review and comment on the patient experience challenge outlined below. To answer this question you are expected to references and cite course material. You may choose to cite outside materials as well, if you wish.

1. Briefly summarize how and why this is a quality issue.

2. What steps would be needed to improve the current (outdated) healthcare experience faced by many patients, as described here.

3. How could you measure success of a new system?

4. What individuals within the healthcare workforce and the patient population may have problems with changes to the current system and what quality improvement approaches should be considered to address those concerns?

The medical insurance landscape experienced some significant changes in recent years. As more patients are responsible for a larger portion of their healthcare bill, they naturally demand better services from their providers.

Healthcare organizations will face tougher competition in attracting and retaining patients who demand an experience that matches the level of customer service they expect from other consumer brands.

Increasingly, patients demand a streamlined easy to access, electronic experience so they can "self-service" to resolve most questions, issues, or concerns (e.g., downloading an immunization record, booking an appointment, paying their bills, or checking their account/insurance status) whenever, wherever, and however is most convenient for them.

For healthcare organizations offering a variety of services in different locations, it's also important for providers have access to the most up-to-date patient information from one centralized location. Not only will it deliver a better patient experience (who wants to tell their story from the beginning every single time?) but also help avoid fatal mishaps such as drug interactions that may be caused by having only a partial picture of a patient's medical history.