Chyla Snedeker C799 Task 2
docx
keyboard_arrow_up
School
Western Governors University *
*We aren’t endorsed by this school
Course
C799
Subject
Medicine
Date
Feb 20, 2024
Type
docx
Pages
7
Uploaded by chyla.dunham
A1: Evolution of Medicine Many historical events contributed to the evolution of medicine, and medicine as we know it is still evolving with each passing day. An example of this would be World War I. This had a huge impact on society. During WWI, from 1914-1918, chemical gasses were developed and weaponized. The use of these gases had longing effects on people. With injuries from the war and destruction, famine and disease lingered close by. It wasn’t long before the Spanish flu swept across the continent and killed millions. These historical events are what eventually led to Alexander Fleming discovering penicillin, an antibiotic, in 1928 (Waggner, 2020, p. 38). This antibiotic had a profound impact on medicine and is still used today.
A2: Roles of Healthcare Professionals
There are major events that occurred in the United States that also played a huge part in the development and evolution of healthcare professionals. In 1751 Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Bond opened the first hospital within the U.S. Then, in 1765, America’s first medical school began enrolling students in “anatomical lectures” (Waggner, 2020, p. 38). Before these dates, medicine within the United States was mostly just someone making a house visit and there
not being much anyone could do. People got sick and died at home or in places we would consider shelters for the poor. With the development of a hospital and individuals now having the
ability to study the human body from a scientific perspective, that meant “healthcare professionals” would be created and a doctor's role would evolve into something greater and take
on a new definition.
A3: Technology in Healthcare
As previously mentioned, major events have a way of shaping and influencing healthcare.
Another aspect that has been influenced by dramatic events is technology in healthcare. A recent example would be the COVID-19 pandemic that started in 2020. When COVID-19 started rapidly spreading and killing people, there was a sense of urgency that arose and a need for a vaccine became prevalent. For years, mRNA research had been done periodically but the execution of creating a successful vaccine with mRNA failed. With advances in nanotechnology, an exuberant amount of funding being generated, and the great need for protection against the virus, a successful mRNA vaccine was finally created. This advancement in vaccine technology has had a profound impact on healthcare and will continue to, as new vaccines with mRNA are developed and tested (Breyer, 2021).
B: Components of A Healthcare Delivery System
In the United States, the healthcare delivery system is broken up into three sectors. First, there are Hospitals and inpatient services. Hospitals and Inpatient services are facilities that serve
the needs of patients who may have complex needs due to illness or injury and they typically allow 24/7 access to care (Waggner, 2020, p. 135). Next, there are Outpatient services. This is an umbrella term that categorizes a variety of care that doesn’t require a lengthy stay in a facility. Examples of this type of care would be physician offices, urgent care, laboratory centers, and even some surgery centers (Waggner, 2020, p. 148). Lastly, there are healthcare companies that are no longer thought to be in their own category, but instead are becoming a more cohesive part of our healthcare delivery system (Waggner, 2020, p. 165).
B1: Patient Care Access
The operations of a healthcare delivery system have a great impact on patient care access.
No matter the component of a healthcare delivery system, they all operate similarly when it comes to reimbursement. An individual, if not self-paying, will either have private insurance or government-funded insurance. The type of insurance a person has, and the details of that individual plan, impact patient care access. For example, if a person has a Point of Service insurance plan, then the way the insurance operates is that the person must first see their primary care provider. Once the individual sees their PCP, then a referral can be sent out to a specialty provider or another department. This patient would then have access to more providers that might even be considered out-of-network, as long as the first visit with their PCP is initiated. On the other hand, a different individual may have a government-funded insurance plan that requires
that they seek providers that only accept Medicare/Medicaid. While both individuals have insurance, depending on what the healthcare facility accepts and the terms of the insurance plan, a patient's access to care will vary. B2: Patient Care Cost
The operations of the healthcare delivery system and patient care cost varies greatly based on a few factors. My mind thinks of this in categories. In general, Inpatient facilities and hospitals are going to be more expensive. These types of facilities require a person to receive lengthier and more complex care. If something takes longer and is more complex, then it is usually safe to assume that it will likely be more expensive. Another contributing factor to cost is
the type of insurance coverage a patient has and what category the provider falls into within their
plan. A lot of times, if a patient chooses a provider or facility that is within the network, then the cost will be lower than if a patient went to another facility that provides the same care but is out of network.
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help
B3: Quality of Patient Care
Operations of the healthcare delivery system influence the quality of patient care. An example of this would be the two payment structures involved with Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B. When an inpatient facility is involved with Medicare Part A and the Value-
based Purchasing System, reimbursement is tied directly to the quality of patient care. As expected in business, a company wants to make as much money as possible. The VBP Program gives scores facilities on the quality of care a patient receives. If a patient receives high-quality care that is safe and efficient, then there are incentives and rewards. On the other hand, if a facility is lacking and its score reflects that, then there are consequences. Overall, a facility aims to operate efficiently and provide quality care so that it can receive incentives (CMS 2023). For outpatient facilities that are involved with Medicare Part B, the repayment system also correlates with the quality of patient care. The payment structure that these facilities operate on is called the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System. This system rewards clinicians based on their operations as a facility and how that is then directly related to the quality of care a patient receives. For example, since these facilities don’t involve lengthy stays, the scoring for this system is a bit different. Patients will likely need to see several different providers or outpatient facilities for their care. MIPS promotes operational interoperability and patients to be able to access their health records with ease. Using patient portals, health information exchange, and public health and clinical data exchange are all factors that work to improve the quality and efficiency of care patients receive. For example, the use of patient portals, allows patients to review their records, make appointments, and access other important parts of their healthcare with ease (CMS 2021). C1: Federal Government Initiative
One federal government initiative that is related to health informatics is the HITECH Act from 2009. This act pushed for clinicians and healthcare facilities across the United States to begin using electronic health records and to move away from paper/file-based records. The adoption of EHRs helps provide better privacy and security for patients, which also means that as
time goes on the need for professionals in health informatics also evolves and increases (Alder). C2: Emerging Technology
Emerging technology affects the practice of medicine greatly. An example of an emerging
technology would be Computer Assisted Coding and Natural Language Processing. With these technologies, a clinician can directly speak information into the patient's health record. The Natural Language Processing technology picks up on both syntax and semantics. When the technology can pick up on the physician's true meaning during dictation and apply it to the health
record, then computer-assisted coding programs can accurately extract information and apply the
correct medical code. In the past, medical scribes would type what the physician said, and/or the physician would manually type in their notes. From there, a medical coder would examine the health record and apply a medical code using their medical coding book. The evolution of technology has greatly helped to improve quality, minimize health record duplication, improve coding accuracy, and cut back on time. More is being accomplished with the help of technology (Oachs & Watters, 2020, pp. 359).
References
Alder, S. (n.d.). What Is The HITECH Act?
The HIPAA Journal
. https://www.hipaajournal.com/what-is-the-hitech-act/
Breyer, C. (2021, October 6). The Long History of mRNA Vaccines
. https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2021/the-long-history-of-mrna-vaccines
CMS (2021, June 21). Merit-Based Incentive Payment Program
. https://www.hhs.gov/guidance/sites/default/files/hhs-guidance-documents/
2020%20Promoting%20Interoperability%20Quick%20Start%20Guide_1.pdf
CMS (2023, September 6). The Value-Based Purchasing Program
. https://www.cms.gov/medicare/quality/value-based-programs/hospital-purchasing
Oachs, P., & Watters, A. (2020). Health Information Management: Concepts, Principles, and Practice
(6th ed.). AHIMA. https://wgu.vitalsource.com/reader/books/9781584267577/epubcfi/6/68[%3Bvnd.vst.idre
f%3Dchapter020.xhtml]!/4/2/2[ch20]/26/10/8[table020-3]/6/4/6/2/1:363[mat%2Cern
] Waggner, S. L. (2020). The United States Healthcare System: Overview, Driving Forces, and Outlook for the Future
(p. 38). Health Administration Press. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/westerngovernors-ebooks/reader.action?
docID=6180928&ppg=22
Waggner, S. L. (2020). The United States Healthcare System: Overview, Driving Forces, and Outlook for the Future
(p. 135). Health Administration Press.
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/westerngovernors-ebooks/reader.action?
docID=6180928&ppg=22
Waggner, S. L. (2020). The United States Healthcare System: Overview, Driving Forces, and Outlook for the Future
(p. 148). Health Administration Press. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/westerngovernors-ebooks/reader.action?
docID=6180928&ppg=22
Waggner, S. L. (2020). The United States Healthcare System: Overview, Driving Forces, and Outlook for the Future
(p. 165). Health Administration Press. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/westerngovernors-ebooks/reader.action?
docID=6180928&ppg=22