Global Issues of Healthcare Management - Research Paper Example

The Global Issues of Healthcare Management The Global Issues of Healthcare Management Introduction Healthcare quality is one of key factors in how people view their quality of life. In a majority of our nations, healthcare quality has become the main agenda in all their parliamentary sittings. In other nations, the healthcare delivery industry is also part of the nation’s national identity. Critics such as Cherry & Jacob (2013) believe that it is time for a fresh enlightenment in all aspects of the healthcare ecosystem, where each and every player, from enterprises to governments to people, is concerned in enhancing healthcare (Hall, 2011). The world over, each and every country is going through similar issues. The advent of new client technology is bringing in even more issues or reintroducing older ones to the fore. This disruptive technology enhances better patient power. The most supple and advanced health economies have the change to revolutionize the manner in which care is delivered, and in doing this, in order to change their societies (Hall, 2011). This article outlines issues that face the global healthcare management, as well as some of the trends that scholars think greatly impact healthcare for the better or maybe worse. Among the global challenges that affect healthcare include: (1) rising costs, (2) changing demographics, (3) filling the resource gap, (4) easy access, (5) focus on quality and (6) becoming customer-driven. Rising Costs Spending on healthcare basically invariably increases faster compared to GDP. Its growth rate has surpassed that of GDP ever since national record keeping started. In addition, economic recession and spending closely related (Kongstvedt, 2013). Experts claim that we can see the growth rate of healthcare spending in continents such as Europe and Asia outshine the GDP growth considerable during these financially challenging times. Macroeconomic aspects such as aging populaces or inadequate public funding among others are challenging both providers and receivers or healthcare (Kongstvedt, 2013). Penetration and adoption rates of clinical information systems differ greatly. In reality, the number, as well as size of buyers, differs from nation to nation, plus it is not vitally reliant on the size of the nation, but instead on the healthcare system structure. In addition, people’s purchasing behavior is changing towards a more coordinated and joint purchasing from what researchers have seen in the past (Kongstvedt, 2013). Changing Demographics There is rising demand on the healthcare delivery institutions, and this is occurring in every nations. Peoples’ immortality rates have increased all thanks to improvements in comprehending of the causes of diseases, and subsequent enhancements in diagnostic methods together with their treatments (Song et al., 2012). The standard life expectancy in OECD nations has now attained 80 years and continues to prolong. Nevertheless, not only are humans living longer, but more and more people are living longer even with chronic illnesses (Song et al., 2012). Filling the resource gap Even as demand went up, there is a worldwide shortage of clinicians. Nations with the highest amount of clinicians per population will require addressing graduate enrollment in to medical learning institutions, which is lessening in real terms in a majority of the countries (Vestbo et al., 2013). The issue is not limited to medical practitioners either, as intake in nursing colleges has also decreased in some nations. Questionably, a storm is brewing in Europe, particularly France, where the amount of medical practitioners over 55 is among the highest in OECD nations (Song et al., 2012). Combined with reduction in the number of graduates coming out from medical institutions, France might well see the amount of doctors leaving the career going beyond those coming in (Vestbo et al., 2013). It is basically the signal that a skills deficiency increases costs (or decreases service quality), thus an efficient health system ensures that staff are correctly equipped and conducting the right tasks for their training and skills. This brings forward an ethical challenge as some nations look to fill the gap through recruiting nurses and doctors from other nations, thus depriving those nations of their healthcare experts (Song et al., 2012). Easy access As spending and demand increase, health economies more and more will have to balance ease of access to their services against the expense of operating smaller medical centers (Cherry & Jacob, 2013). For many nations, the rationalization of the healthcare system implies the shutting down of small regional hospitals, which, on the other hand, turns a politically-charged issue (Cherry & Jacob, 2013). This rationalization has to take into account as well the rising area of tertiary hospitals, which will be discussed later in this article. Focus on Quality What patients are expecting is changing. The quality of care is more and more significant as people start to exercise their right to choose with whom and how they engage for their healthcare. Patients today normally call for transparency of processes in addition to data. As a result, healthcare institutions will need to hub on how quality outcomes can be presented in a significant manner for patients. Patient safety is the key focus of patient advocacy organizations, as well as healthcare leaders. They will put into effect deeper investigations of medication faults, wrong site surgery, hospital acquired infections or pressure sores, like never before. Becoming Customer Driven To tackle the demands of the expert patient, and to begin the changeover of healthcare to a demand-influenced model, some of the globe’s leading medical institutions are placing the patient decisively at the hub of everything they carry out (Cherry & Jacob, 2013). For instance, the Cleveland Clinic, in Ohio, has a strong mission to enhance the patient experience, plus has a board of highly experienced chief executives who were managing the Office of the Patient Experience (Cherry & Jacob, 2013). According to this clinic’s website, the goal is to make sure care is time and again patient centered by joining hands with caregivers to go beyond the expectations of patients together with their families. Cleveland Clinic, along with many other pioneering medical institutions, has, at all times, been a bellwether in all day patient care, and it will be fascinating to view how many other institutions make similar arrangements (Cherry & Jacob, 2013). Global Healthcare Trends and How they Impact Healthcare Shifting From a Supply Driven to a Demand Driven Culture As a society, the world is transforming at a fast pace, and this is clear in the relationship between citizens of the world, as well as their caregivers (Kongstvedt, 2013). Patients are more and more turning into stakeholders in their own care journeys; they demand transparency in information, as well as access, concerning their care and significantly regarding the quality of care offered. It has made things more challenging because citizens are calling for complete access to their terms (Kongstvedt, 2013). Clients are now forced to schedule appointments when and where it suits them, failing to consider their care providers. Doctors are also forced to come up with more drugs because patients are demanding for them, which is also advantageous because it has somewhat reduced the long line during surgical waits. The internet also is changing patients’ behaviors. This implies that the manner in which hospitals are interacting with their patients and citizens at large has to change too. Municipalities are offering more services to citizens utilizing new technology. Healthcare providers also do the same, which has brought in more challenges such as corruption and also more training to utilize this technology (Kongstvedt, 2013). However, for a majority of institutions, they are adopting these technological solutions in order to streamline processes like setting up virtual appointments with caregivers or even looking up their test results online. Healthcare is essentially the last of the key supply driven businesses, but this will not be for long. Doctors should prepare themselves as citizens look to demand change to a field, which quickly responds to their needs, aspirations and fears (Kongstvedt, 2013). The Rise of Social Media and Informed Patients Patients are becoming increasingly concerned in their healthcare, with a much greater stake in the road towards healthy living than ever before. Information concerning medical conditions together with their treatments is now effortlessly available through the internet (Brown, 2014). This presents a new challenge to doctors as it has forced them to shift the hub of the patient-provider relation towards the patient only. They now have to be more careful than in the past. The social media advent is driving healthcare interactions in a new way, as well. People are taking advantage of resources to talk about treatments, practitioners and even procedures. Alongside, doctors are forced to make use of social media to interact and communicate with citizens, even though this has proven to be a great tool during times of crisis (Kongstvedt, 2013). What this implies is that healthcare organizations have to have a vivid plan to take utmost advantage of social media (Brown, 2014). Patients Exercising Choice The challenge that is brought about by this trend is that it has put healthcare systems under more scrutiny by society (Hall, 2011). With patients have a much bigger say and demand in what they opt for during treatment, regulations are affected and, in turn, it also affects healthcare providers. Critics such as Vestbo et al. (2013) think that healthcare should turn into a demand-driven industry so as to satisfy the demands of clients, as well as governments. Patients want to choose when and how to engage with practitioners more and more. Regimes, health policymakers, and medical professionals are now faced with challenges of offering patients with the information and services, which allow citizens to make informed decisions concerning their healthcare (Hall, 2011). This will imply publishing data concerning indicators of quality like readmission rates and outcome data among others, and, as well, introduce methods of booking appointments at medical centers during times that suit patients rather than the medical provider (Vestbo et al., 2013). Patient-Centered Medical Home Episodic and disease-oriented care in hospitals is not the most efficient or effective methods of delivering care. The creation of patient-centered medical homes respects this fact. It endorses care relationships across a spectrum of caregivers and in many locations, of which the one that is most attractive to the patient is their own home (Cherry & Jacob 2013). This loom supports patients to turn into stakeholders of their own care. The healthcare delivery system will be planned in a manner that entirely exploits information technology, assists in coordinating care across the community together with monitoring patients’ conditions and endorses awareness of patients (Cherry & Jacob 2013). Conclusion In conclusion, this paper has discussed some of the global issues of healthcare management in addition to some of the trends involved and how they are affecting healthcare management. Some of the challenges discussed include rising costs, (2) changing demographics, (3) filling the resource gap, (4) easy access, (5) focus on quality and (6) becoming customer-driven. Critics such as Brown (2014) and Song et al. (2012) advise that in order to overcome these challenges, the healthcare system should focus on the above discussed trends, which will ensure that the healthcare system is transparent, effective and efficient. In order to fully understand this matter, further research into this topic is advised, which will broaden peoples’ understanding. References Brown, V. A. (2014). Sustainability and health: supporting global ecological integrity in public health. New York: Routledge. Cherry, B., & Jacob. S. R. (2013). Contemporary nursing, issues, trends, & management,6: contemporary nursing. Amsterdam: Elsevier Health Sciences. Hall, C. (2011). Health and medical tourism: a kill or cure for global public health? Tourism Review, 66(1), 4-15. Kongstvedt, P. (2013). Essentials of managed health care. New York: Jones & Bartlett Publishers. Song, Z et al. (2012). The ‘alternative quality contract,’ based on a global budget, lowered medical spending and improved quality. Health Affairs, 31(8), 1885-1894. Vestbo, J. et al. (2013). Global strategy for the diagnosis, management, and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 187(4), 347-365. 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