Choosing a Health Care Provider - Essay Example

Choosing a Health Care Provider Affiliation: Choosing a Health Care Provider I am assisting a low level County officer (subscriber) to look for a health care provider. He has a moderate income with a family of three. His children are young and in need of constant medical care that may not be fully supported by his salary alone. In search for information; cost, compatibility of the subscriber’s needs with provider’s services are some of the factors that have to be considered. Additionally, affordability of the coverage over the years is crucial. Moreover, the cover should be comprehensive and offer many good benefits to him. The subscriber has a low income and needs constant care for his young children. He needs a flexible insurance medical cover to allow him contribute premiums according to his financial capabilities. The cover should allow his dependents to access medical care from different hospitals and subsequently cover a range of diseases. Further, it should cover both inpatient and outpatient services in addition to covering minor surgeries and accidents at an affordable cost (Bowers, Swan, & Koehler, 2011).
A good provider has certified qualifications in his area of specialization. He has the necessary academic qualifications and experience in health care services. An experienced provider can handle most illnesses without referrals that add cost to the subscriber. The subscriber’s care philosophy should match that of the provider. The philosophy of care relates to how serious the provider takes his role especially in making decisions on treatment. The subscriber should ask about availability of hospital privileges such as personal doctors and 24 hour services. A bad medical provider doesn’t have a sustainable financial record and may stop the medical coverage anytime (Bowers, Swan, & Koehler, 2011). A provider who limits a subscriber’s choice of doctors and hospitals is a bad provider. A provider is also bad if he doesn’t offer a comprehensive cover with numerous benefits. The cover should be affordable over the years regardless of external economic factors and constraints.
References
Bowers, M. R., Swan, J. E., & Koehler, W. F. (2011). What attributes determine quality and satisfaction with health care delivery? Health care management review, 19(4), 49-55. Read More