In an environment of rising healthcare costs, it is essential that all members of the health care team have a basic understanding and be able to use fundamental economic concepts. Quality and access are a primary focus of delivering healthcare services but the truth of the matter is No Margin: No Mission. Words to consider in understanding basic economics include: value, scarcity, cost constraints, resource allocation and improved efficiencies.
This paper will provide an opportunity to expand your knowledge of and using economic concepts for a population heath topic/issue (choose one that interests you from the Population Health Topics word document).
In a paper no less than 6 pages and no more than 8 pages:
Describe:
· an overview of the topic/issue (what)
· the roles and responsibilities of a health informatics specialist, in performing an economic analysis of the population health issue you have chosen (why); identifies and discusses the implications for
Create a proposed action plan (how) for the population health topic that considers:
· – the value of the plan
· -the supply/demand of the action plan
· -potential cost constraints for the plan
· -resource allocation (money and expertise)
Include a conclusion that supports your action plan for the population health topic where value is seen as depending on the quality of the program but also on the costs of the program.
Each population health topic/issue will have many facets/programs which could be addressed. In this paper make one recommendation for a program to address the topic/issue based on your economic analysis of the topic/issue forming the action plan that will make the best use of limited resources.
The reality is that there will not be enough resources for all desired programs to address the population health issue so the decision maker(s) must choose the best program based on relative cost and projected outcomes of the best alternative.
Supporting any action plan based on economic concepts is the development of a budget. A budget is not required as a part of this action plan.
However, as a point of reference, one type of budget that will assist in creating any new program is the Zero Based Budget. This type of budget examines alternatives of delivering services that includes an assessment of:
-
- revenue
- community visibility
- in-depth action plan:
- to carry it out
- resources needed
- benefits anticipated as related to the purpose and goal of the program
- alternative ways of implementing programs and alternative levels of staff and client population size and services included
