Healthcare Management

Assignment 1 

Health care costs in the United States continue to increase. Despite the high cost of care for health care in the United States, quality indicators and outcomes lag behind other countries when compared to certain dimensions of performance. 

For this assignment, analyze and discuss the relationship between quality and cost in health care in the United States, and research and identify how the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) attempts to reduce costs and improve quality. Based on your research of the PPACA, provide an argument for whether the PPACA has been a success in reducing costs and improving quality. 

Note: Use APA style to cite at least 5 scholarly sources from the last 5 years.

Please submit your assignment.

For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials.

Assignment 2 

discussion post - only need like 300/400 words

Primary Discussion Response is due by Friday (11:59:59pm Central), Peer Responses are due by Tuesday (11:59:59pm Central).

Primary Task Response: Within the Discussion Board area, write 500–700 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.

Complete the following for this assignment:

• Research and explain the concept of patient-centeredness, an evidenced-based practice, as it relates to health care quality. Describe how providers, patients, and insurers may differ in their definition of patient-centeredness. 
• What metrics would you select and use in a health care organization to measure patient satisfaction? Explain your rationale. 

Note: Use APA style to cite at least 2 scholarly sources from the last 5 years.

Responses to Other Students: Respond to at least 2 of your fellow classmates with at least a 100-word reply about their Primary Task Response regarding items you found to be compelling and enlightening. To help you with your discussion, please consider the following questions:

• What did you learn from your classmate's posting? 
• What additional questions do you have after reading the posting? 
• What clarification do you need regarding the posting? 
• What differences or similarities do you see between your posting and other classmates' postings? 

For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials.

Assignment 3 

Health care organizations (HCOs) often struggle with performance improvement and with effectively communicating performance improvement results to their internal and external stakeholders. It is equally important to communicate your successes externally for marketing and internally to continue to build on your successes. The messaging to these two groups, however, is very different. 

For this project, discuss the following:

• Describe specific initiatives, laws, and accreditation standards that can be leveraged to improve health care quality and enhance performance improvement. 
• Develop a communications strategy to achieve effective and efficient communication of performance data and performance improvement initiatives. 
• Include a plan for strategic messaging in communications to employees (to effect change) and communications to the general public (for marketing purposes). 

Note: Use APA style to cite at least 5 scholarly sources from the last 5 years.

Please submit your assignment.

For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials.