HSM544 All Weeks Discussions (July 2019)

HSM 544 Health Policy & Economics

Week 1 Discussion

DQ1 THREE MAJOR TASKS OF ECONOMICS

Identify the three major tasks of economics and discuss why they are important. What are their roles in organization management?

DQ2 FACTORS INFLUENCING HEALTHCARE DEMAND

Identify and discuss the factors that influence the demand for healthcare and, in turn, healthcare economics. What factor do you believe has the greatest impact on healthcare economics and why?

 

HSM 544 Health Policy & Economics

Week 2 Discussion

DQ1 FINANCING HEALTHCARE

Discuss the role of all parties (patient, providers, and payers) to contain costs. What is the impact of cost-containment efforts on the rising cost of healthcare?

DQ2 PRODUCTION FUNCTION ANALYSIS

What are the primary steps in a production function analysis? How would you apply these steps in a healthcare organization?

 

HSM 544 Health Policy & Economics

Week 3 Discussion

DQ1 MANAGED CARE CONCEPT

Discuss the concept of managed care. Why was it created? What were its goals? Have these goals changed? Has it worked? How it can be improved?

Pick one of the previous questions for your initial post; all of them will be discussed throughout the week.

DQ2 REDISTRIBUTION AND SOCIAL INSURANCE

Discuss the connection between redistribution and social insurance. How was the Affordable Care Act designed to save money and curb rising healthcare costs, and why was it successful (or not)?

 

HSM 544 Health Policy & Economics

Week 4 Discussion

DQ1 THE ROLE OF NONPROFITS IN HEALTHCARE

How does the role of nonprofit healthcare organizations differ from that of for-profit healthcare organizations? Which entity is better suited to meet the growing demand for health services by the aging population, and why?

DQ2 PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE

Health policy is moving closer (in distinct increments) to a broader role in healthcare, and public health insurance can take many forms. What do you envision the government’s role to be (e.g., a continued regulation on specific aspects or a more sweeping policy that leads to public health insurance)? In your comments distinguish between state and federal policy.

 

HSM 544 Health Policy & Economics

Week 5 Discussion

DQ1 HUMAN CAPITAL AND POLICY

What steps can Congress and state legislatures take to alleviate a serious national shortage of skilled providers? Research suggests medical errors have been linked to inadequate staffing (i.e., quantity and quality of skilled personnel). What steps would you take to mitigate shortages?

DQ2 IMPACT OF HEALTH POLICY

What is the impact of health policy on resourcing (i.e., funding, technology, capital assets, and other key, nonhuman means of healthcare delivery)?

 

HSM 544 Health Policy & Economics

Week 6 Discussion

DQ1 HEALTHCARE COVERAGE (MULTIMEDIA)

Respond to a proposal of how to optimize healthcare coverage for as many U.S. citizens as possible. Post a 1- to 2-minute multimedia recording recapping a news article or proposal and provide your opinion of how this proposal would impact the ability to balance costs, quality, and access to healthcare for all stakeholders involved (e.g., patients, providers, third-party payers, legislators, etc.). Identify whether this coverage should be voluntary or mandatory, with rationale.

In addition to posting your individual recording, you must comment on two other students’ recording.Multimedia technology does not need to be used in the replies, but you are always welcome to use it! Remember, they must still be quality posts. Simply stating, “Nice job, I agree” is not sufficient.

Examples of quality posts include

providing additional information to the discussion;

elaborating on previous comments from others;

presenting explanations of concepts or methods to help fellow students;

presenting reasons for or against a topic in a persuasive fashion;

sharing personal experiences that relate to the topic; and

providing a URL and explanation for an area you researched on the Internet.

Category Points Criteria

Proposal Relevance 5 Relevant proposal (based on a contemporary news or research article) of how to optimize healthcare coverage for as many U.S. citizens as possible is articulated.

Opinion/Impact 5 An opinion of how this proposal would impact the ability to balance costs, quality, and access to healthcare for all stakeholders involved (e.g., patients, providers, third-party payers, legislators, etc.) is clearly evident.

Summary Recommendation/Rationale 5 Identification of whether this coverage should be voluntary or mandatory, with rationale, is present.

Multimedia Recording 2 Recorded information is clear, audible, coherent, and understandable. An appropriate conversational style is used throughout. Multimedia recording is uploaded correctly.

Assignment directions were met including the time requirement: is 1- to 2-minutes long.

Comments on Peers’ multimedia posts Assignments 8 Post the minimum number of comments reacting to peers’ multimedia post assignments. All comments demonstrate an understanding of the related concepts and represent an effort to reflect and build on previous students’ comments, using your own words and unique viewpoints and ideas.

Total 25 A quality assignment meets or exceeds all of the above requirements.

 

HSM 544 Health Policy & Economics

Week 7 Discussion

DQ1 NATIONAL SYSTEMS OF HEALTHCARE

How do you describe a developed nation’s system of healthcare? Your description should provide (only) one positive and one negative quality about that system. Connect both of these qualities to either cost, quality, or access.

DQ2 NATIONAL HEALTHCARE IN THE UNITED STATES

Provide an example of at least one obstacle to implementing national healthcare in the United States and how you would overcome it. In your response, explain if your suggestion is part of the “repeal and replace” promise by President Trump in reference to the Affordable Care Act.