The document discusses the importance of care coordination for patients with complex health needs, emphasizing that a collaborative effort among healthcare providers and managers is crucial for delivering optimal care. It highlights the challenges posed by chronic illnesses and an aging population, advocating for preventative measures and education to improve healthcare outcomes and reduce costs. Effective communication, strategic planning, and addressing barriers are essential for enhancing the quality and safety of patient care.

1. Peer response’s # 2
Rules: Please try not to make the responses super lengthy,
contribute one fact AND include references
HMGT 420
· Wk#3
Talar posted Jun 4, 2016 11:57 PM
Patients who have complex health needs require not only
medical. But also social services and support from a variety of
caregivers and providers. Facility managers who are part of care
coordination could assist patient in receiving optimal care by
addressing the challenges in coordinating care for these
patients, and offer programmatic changes and policies that help
deliver the best services to all patients.
Facility managers can come up with strategic plans based on
prior data and make necessary changes based on preexisting
conditions. “Patient- centered, comprehensive, coordinated, and
accessible care that continuously improved through a systems-
based approach to quality and safety” (AHRQ, 2012) are what’s
needed to achieve the highest quality care possible in any health
care facility.
Patient centered care can’t be achieved with providers only. It
requires team work and collaboration among all stakeholders.
To improve the quality and safety of patients, health care
facility managers can work hand and hand with the coordinated
team to provide a system based approach by drawing on
decision-support tools, taking into account patient experience,
and using population health management approach. Patient
preference and needs on what aspects of care to be improved.
Respond to Talar here:
· Vanscoy, Week 3
Sarah posted Jun 5, 2016 11:07 AM
As a facility manager, and part of the care coordination team, I
would look into models of care that would assist our situation.
With the Affordable Care Act in place, there are accountable

2. care organizations (ACOs), which provide models of care
(“Promise,” 2013). There are many different definitions and
perspectives on care coordination, but all lead to the goal of
meeting patient needs and providing adequate healthcare
(“Care,” 2014).
Care coordination is essential because each patient can interact
with a variety of professionals each visit. For example, for a
routine physical appointment, the patient could meet with the
scheduling staff, medical assistants, nurses, doctors,
pharmacists, and the billing staff. If each one of these member
fails to coordinate as a whole, the patient could be harmed or
neglected. As a care coordinator, I would be responsible for
discussing an individualized care plan with each patient and
ensuring that they understand their responsibilities. All barriers
should be identified, such as financial, social (language),
psychological, and anything that would effect the patient from
following their correct plan of care and interacting with the
staff (“Promise,” 2013). Another key point is to ensure the
medical staff has reviewed the patient’s medical records and
ensure that everyone is on the same page. These are just a few
examples, because each case is different and each patient will
have different needs. Communication is key in promoting care
coordination and providing quality health care
Respond to Sarah here:
Discussion#2 HMGT 420
· Chronic conditions are defined as “ health problems that
require ongoing management over a period of years or decades,
and include: diabetes, heart disease, asthma, chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD), cancer, HIV/AIDS, depression, and
physical disabilities” .With the increase number of chronic
illnesses health care delivery challenges have also increased.
For that reason, having a strong leadership framework for
chronic illnesses are essential to keep patients and health care
professionals safe (Helathcare, n.d.).
Today’s education and academic leaders, professional bodies,
and other stakeholders need to invest in the training and

3. preparation of tomorrow’s cohort of health care professional.
Leadership need to organize care around the patient, emphasize
communication skills between all health care providers, need to
develop programs to ensure safety and quality of patient care
are continuously improved, they also need to improve
educational programs where expert professionals can educate
employees about chronic conditions and how to deal with
upcoming diseases, keep patients safe, and themselves safe at
the same time (Helathcare, n.d.)..
Hiring expertise team to teach health care employees and train
them will bring positive results. Once employees are educated
they can transfer their knowledge to their patients on how to
follow a healthy life style. “133 million Americans-45% of
population have at least one chronic disease” (Growingcrisis,
n.d.). With that said chronic diseases could be preventable,
delayed, or alleviated, through simple lifestyle changes. Such as
diet and exercise programs.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
estimates that eliminating three risk factors such as “poor diet,
inactivity, and smoking would prevent 80% of heart disease and
stroke, 80% of type 2 diabetes, and 40% of cancer”
(Growingcrisis, n.d.). Investing in implementing such programs
will help hospitals reduce spending in high cost treatments.
Because, if chronic conditions are not treated early it may
become untreated later on and can cost hospitals much more if
patient stay longer in their care. “In the U.S. total spending on
the public and private health care amounted to approximately $2
trillion during 2005” (Growingcrisis, n.d.)
There are much more challenges when it comes to health care.
For that reason, regardless to any change all health care leaders
have to secure commitment by ensuring that resources necessary
for the project are in place. They need to ensure that staff
members are equipped with the knowledge and resources
necessary to accommodate with any change.
Respond to Talar here:
· Increased growth of chronic illness and the aging population

4. will pose many problems within the health care system. By the
year 2030, it is estimated that the over age 65 clientele will
nearly triple, and more than six out of every ten patients in the
category will be dealing with more than one chronic condition
(“American,” 2007). Obesity and diabetes will be two of the
top issues these patients will be seen for. Some challenges that
come with an increased population and chronic disease will be
physician/nursing shortages and an increase in avoidable
diseases.
As a facility manager, there are many steps to take in order to
prepare for the projected challenges. The main concentration
should be in prevention. If the hospital creates initiatives and
programs that educate and encourage healthy living, they will
be able to connect with the population and avoid preventable
chronic diseases. One hospital system I worked for, MultiCare
in Tacoma, Washington, has preventative measures in place
such as sponsoring community programs. For example, “Pierce
County Gets Fit” is a fitness and nutrition event and the
“[email protected]” program concentrates on weight
management, nutritional counseling, and exercise (“Center,”
2016).
Other steps to take would be to create comprehensive care plans
for all patients with verbal acknowledgement from them or their
caregivers and to implementing technical programs that will
track patients with chronic illness in order to ensure they have
adequate care and follow-ups. This will help prevent
admissions or readmissions to the hospital (“American,” 2007).
Steps to address cultural and language barriers also need to be
addressed. In order to address the physician/nursing shortages,
incentives can be given by the hospital in order to encourage
individuals to work for them. For example, some nursing
scholarships will pay for college, and in return the student will
work for the organization for a set amount of time.
Education is key in prevention. I would encourage the hospital
leadership to implement and support community programs and
to be up to date on technological advancements. By educating

5. not only the providers and care teams, but the community as
well, some projected challenges can be reduced or avoided.
Respond to Sarah here:
HMGT 434
· Largest Area of Health Care Spending
Lauren posted Jun 8, 2016 11:22 PM
The largest area of spending for health care is on the elderly.
Patients are living longer, so they require more frequent and
more expensive care including long term care in facilities and at
home. This is a large population known as the baby boomer
population. Not only does each individual patient require more
funding, but it is a large population of patients, too. Elderly
patients often suffer from conditions such as diabetes, dementia,
Alzheimer's, COPD, heart disease and joint and muscle pain
which require more costly care and attention. Thanks to the
Affordable Care Act and the increase in the number of
Americans who have health insurance coverage, there is a
greater emphasis being placed on preventative care, with some
insurance companies offering incentives for consumers who quit
smoking or lose weight as both of these can negatively effect a
patient's health. It would be ideal for our aging population to
benefit from preventative care, which would hopefully in turn
decrease the costs for long term care.
Respond to Lauren here:
· Week 2 #1
Erick posted Jun 7, 2016 10:07 PM
The market I will focus on is the pharmaceutical industry. The
demand curve for a name brand drug can be shifted due to a
generic drug being introduced to the market. Due to the high
price for a name brand drug, consumers might go with a cheaper
alternative and go with the generic drug option. Consumers will
use rational reasoning when making a decision. Rationality is
when a consumer assesses the opportunities that they are dealt,
and chooses among those opportunities in a way that helps their
own best interests (Saylor Academy, 2012). The best interest
for a consumer choosing a generic drug over a name brand drug

6. is that the cheaper alternative will fit the consumers’ budget. If
the consumer has a higher income, the consumer may view the
generic drug as an inferior good. An inferior good is a product
that a consumer perceives as having low quality (Saylor
Academy, 2012).
Respond to Erick here: