Key Characteristics of the Health Care Services External Environment - Essay Example

? Key Characteristics of the health care services external environment and their Implications Introduction Theexternal environment of a health care system involves non-internal factors that affect the performance of a health service. Therefore, as manager in a private hospital responsible for managing 15 bedded ward and 18 staff members, it is vital to take into consideration for both internal and external factors that may have a significant impact on organization performance (Muller, Bezuidenhout and Jooste, 2006). Whereby, external environment may involve analyzing Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats that may affect provision of health care service (SWOT analysis). On the other hand, internal environment of a health care service may involve determining hospital clients, competitors, stakeholders/collaborators as well as climate which an organization is operating in (Muller, Bezuidenhout and Jooste, 2006). External factor may include; a social, religious believes, occupation and education level may affect provision of health care services (Hitchcock, Schubert and Thomas, 2003). In addition, health campaigns via the social media may influence people behaviours towards health services. For example; health mass media may sensitize and encourage people on the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of diseases. This in turn may have a significant impact on provision of health services (Moseley, 2009). Economic factors may further affect provision of health services. For example, the discrepancies in people levels of income may determine the accessibility of health services. Whereby, poor people may not be in a position to afford quality health services unlike the affluent. Additionally, laws and regulations may affect provision of health services because organization must observe established health standards. Hospitals and health organizations must protect the environment and ensure that people take medical insurance cover. On the contrary, internal factors may involves people believes and their core values with respect to the provision of health care services. Connectively, internal factors may further involve the level of knowledge among the people. This may significantly impact provision of health services because people with higher level of knowledge are likely to seek health services than the less knowledgeable members of the society (Muller, Bezuidenhout and Jooste, 2006). Key characteristics of the health care services external and Internal Health Care Environment External Health Care Environment The United Kingdom health care service contains the following characteristic; population size, mandate, accountability, funding and managing performance. Population characteristic entails actions undertaken by various bodies such as strategic health authority which is responsible for a population of 2.6-7.5 million people. In addition, the primary care trust was responsible for a population of more than ninety thousand people. On the other hand, the public care trust collaborated with local authorities in provision of health. In addition the general practice and foundation trust were also involved in health population (The Change Foundation’s, 2009). Mandate involves the duties and responsibilities that system managers, commissioners and General practice should execute. For instance, system managers should not only make health plans but they should also monitor the progress of both National Health Service and Primary Care Trust. On the contrary, health care commissioners have a duty of developing local health strategies as well as monitoring and integrating social and health services. In addition, general practice (GP) such as nurses, pharmacist therapist, opticians and dentist they have a both clinical and managerial responsibility (The Change Foundation’s, 2009). In above connection, Secretary of state for health and department of health should be accountable in quality of health and ensure close monitoring of both National Health Service and Primary Care Trust. In addition, the department of health and secretariat of state are answerable to the public accounts committee. Connectively, the National Health Service Trust is answerable to the secretariat of states for Health whereby, in case of any eventuality they are accountable for their actions (The Change Foundation’s, 2009). The funding characteristic involves the sources of funds to finance population health needs. Whereby, the amount of funding may be based on the population size. An integrated range of funding for National Health Service was put forth, for instance 85 percent was allotted in 2009 to fund a health services. Whereby, the rage of funding have been sub-divided into three categories namely; tertiary, secondary and primary levels of funding. Whereby, equity should be maintained when distributing funds across the entire health system (The Change Foundation’s, 2009).The general medical service and General Public proposed a financial incentive plan to ensure effective and efficient service delivery within the entire health system. In above connection, the National Health Trust and National Health Service Finding Trust were reported to have been funding nurses and doctors who have been employed within the entire National Health Service. In addition, the Practice Based Commission was responsible for purchasing financing the health needs for their population (The Change Foundation’s, 2009). The performance management characteristic involves actions undertaken by the department of health towards ensuring that both National Health Service and Primary Care service executed their operations as anticipated while ensuring quality and efficiency in service delivery was maintained. The primary health cares are monitored in order to ensure that they act in compliance with the established clinical policies and standards. In above connection, the Primary care Trust takes proactive measure in ensuring that the general practice (GP) acts properly according to the established performance standards. Connectively, the National Health Service is bound to adhere strictly to the performance set by the Commission of Health Care. On the contrary, the audit commission and monitoring commission ensures that both National Health Service and Financial Trust Service implements health care standards (The Change Foundation’s, 2009). The other characteristic of health care services external environment involves public health perspective. Whereby, patients may decide on the kind of general public health service they may want to register with. In addition, patients may choose any hospital that meat the standard of National Health Services where they can get special treatment (The Change Foundation’s, 2009). Internal Health Care Environment On the other hand internal health care environment encompassed eleven subsections that contained different characteristics. The first section involved Asthma and allergy clinic. This section focuses at providing health care services to the patient who has been diagnosed with immune and allergic problems. In addition, the clinic carries out lab test to determine the types of allergies that as well as recommend the most appropriate diagnosis. The second division involves, United Kingdom institute that specialized with handling cardiovascular complications. The centre provided diagnosis to patients with heart problems who were located at a particular location. The third section involved the division of digestive system, whereby doctors in this division focused at providing treatment to patients who were diagnosed with digestion complications. Among the United Kingdom hospitals that provided this service include; Samaritan hospital, Albert, Lexington to mention just but a few (UK Health Care, 2012) In above connection, the UK endocrinology section provided diagnosis for disorders attributed to endocrine such as diabetes, include; Thyloid, diabetes mellitus among other endocrine disorders. The other subdivision involves Geriatrics. This section focused at providing treatment to patient who graduates from adolescence to adult hood. Whereby, the division provides proper monitoring of patients with critical health problems. The seventh subdivision involves Haematology section which focuses at transplanting blood marrow. In addition Haematology collaborates with the unite Kingdom centre for cancer. Whereby, Haematology centre provides treatment for blood related ailments such as Failure of the born marrow and anaemia related complications (UK Health Care, 2012). On the contrary, The United Kingdom Centre for Cancer provides diagnosis for Cancer related complication such as carrying out Chemotherapy and surgery especially if a patient has a tumour. Connectively, the United Kingdom centre for Infectious diseases focuses at sensitizing the public on the dangers of such as sexually transmitted infections, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis as well as providing the patients with infectious diseases with counselling and medical assistance. This division consist of highly trained and experienced experts, who are able to provide immune compromised patients with moral, Psychological, emotional and medical support (Davies, 2007). Additionally, the United Kingdom health care section consists of oncology section that specializes with the treating and managing cancer. Oncology division contain the most recent and advanced technological tools for performing all forms of medical operations as carrying out chemotherapy (UK Health Care, 2012). Connectively, the unite Kingdom contains Nephrology section that provides diagnosis to patients with renal related complications. The above sections consist of health experts with the ability and skill of handling renal related complications as well as Hypertension. On the other hand, The United Kingdom consists of Rheumatology health division, whereby patients with athletes are provided with assist stance by a team of specialized experts in this area. The United Kingdom internal environments also contain a pulmonary section that provides health services to patients with pulmonary disorders. Therefore, based on the above discussion it can be observed the characteristic of both external and internal environment health care (UK Health Care, 2012). Therefore, based on the above research the National Health Care Service can be easily compared with Private health care service. For example it can be scrutinized that the national health care service is funded through insurance contributions as well through government taxation. Whereby, The NHS provision of funding was divided into four sections namely; National Health funding England, Wales, Scotland and that of Ireland. On the other hand, funding in a private health care may be provided by employers or by an individual (Teitelbaum and Wilensky, 2013). Additionally, accessing private health care tend to be expensive than accessing National Health services. However, despite being expensive patients can efficiently receive health services without taking too much time. For instance, accessing National Health Care Service may take for non emergency cases may take up to eight weeks while for emergency cases may take up to two weeks. This tend top make the National Health Service quite in effective as compared to private health care service. Connectively, doctors and other health experts dedicate most of their time towards provision of health in private sector and tend to abandon National Health Service. This compromise the standards of health provision in National Health Service (Teitelbaum and Wilensky, 2013). The eligibility to National Health Care Service is based on whether one is citizen of England, unlike private health care service which is based on individual ability to financing his/ her health. In addition, citizens must be in possession of health insurance cards to receive health services rendered by NHS (Teitelbaum and Wilensky, 2013). The authority and control of National Health Service is under the United Kingdom central government which is responsible in formulation of medical health policies as well as collection of taxation to finance delivery of health services. The eligibility to National Health Care Service is based on whether one is citizen of England, unlike private health care service which is based on individual ability to financing his/ her health. In addition, citizens must be in possession of health insurance cards to access health services rendered by NHS (Teitelbaum and Wilensky, 2013). What regulates the environment e.g. frameworks (swot, pestel), policies, public demand, funding, media, culture. The United Kingdom has made various reforms in the entire health system for a health care act of 2012 was established to provide policies that were to be followed when providing health services to the entire community. Some of the suggested reforms in this act Include; the general practice (GP) act that that provides funding to purchase healthcare items on behalf of community members. Additionally, responsibilities that were previously assigned to the health department were assigned to the National Health Service. Connectively, the status of National Health Service was changed .In addition new measure to cater for the welfare of elderly population was officially announced in the year 2013.The commission of quality health care was established to monitor and regulate the standards of health system (NHS Employers, 2013). The revenues emanating from taxation and medical health insurance contributions formed fundamental sources of funding to the United Kingdom National Hospital Service. Whereby, the resources were allotted to the entire health system based on the three elements namely; community health care, welfare health services as well as spending of the grants by the government (Davies, 2007). On the other hand, the funding of private health care services is based on individual or employers financing. In addition, the funding of private health care may be obtained via private health insurance contributions. Research indicates that National Health Service tend to be more efficient because it enhance fair distribution of health care resources irrespective of gender, age or any other barrier among all the citizens. Additionally, the services provided by National Health Service are cheap and affordable as compared to those offered by private health service (Donaldson, 1998). The strength, weakness, opportunities and threats of NHS may be identified. For instance, research indicates that National Health Service Has substantial strength as compared to other health provider in the United Kingdom this is because the system is funded by the government via taxation as well as via medical health contributions. In addition, the NHS has numerous opportunity that it can exploit, for instance the government may open accessibility of National Health Service to incorporate not only its citizens but also citizens from other countries. Whereby, the government may charge foreigners as certain amount of fee. However, research indicates that National Health Service has some weakness. Among the weakness of NHS include; Accessing admission for emergency cases may take two weeks while accessing admission for out patient services may take four weeks. This time tend to be long because some patients may not wait for such a time due to the seriousness of their health conditions. Therefore, this has further led to emergent of numerous private health providers to fill the loop hole created by National Health Service towards provision of emergence services. Therefore, the rise of numerous private health providers acts as a threat to the National Health Service because doctors tend in the national health service tend to have divided loyalty between serving in private and in the National Health Service. This division tend to compromise the quality of health services provided by NHS (NHS Employers, 2013). In above connection, the utilization of PESTEL model (political, economic, social technological and legal social environment) helped to identify external factors that have a significant impact on towards delivery of both NHS and private health service. Political factors involve the magnitude of government regulation and monitoring of health services. Research indicates that the UK government has established a commission called Care quality to ensure that all hospitals meet the established health standards (NHS Employers, 2013). Connectively, various regulations and policies have been put forth. For instance, a policy such as health acts such as 2013 was established to caster for the welfare of elderly population. In addition, the model has identified economic factors that affect citizens towards accessing services provided by NHS. Whereby, NHS helped to enhance equity in delivery of health services to all the citizens. However, some people especially, economic affluent preferred private health services due to higher level of efficiency in those hospitals (Gillam, Yates and Badrinath, 2012). Additionally, technological involves new tools and techniques that both National and private health care had embraced. For instance, it has been reported that more sophisticated tools for performing operation as well as testing different ailments have been discovered. This has further enhanced efficiency in delivery of health services (Gillam, Yates and Badrinath, 2012). Connectively, the impacts of social environment to health delivery have been identified. For example, under the private health service delivery has Geriatric section that focuses at providing treatment to patient who graduates from adolescence to adult hood. Connectively, the welfare of elderly people was declared under health act 2013(NHS Employers, 2013). Implications of Key characteristics of the health care services external environment for the provision of services by either your local organization or the NHS The implications of key characteristics of health care were numerous. For instance, the involvement of Local sectors in the provision of health services helped to promote the relationship between the locals, general practice (GP) and Primary Care trust (Heithoff and Lohr, 1990). Connectively, adequate amount of funding was made accessible to all the citizens irrespective of their financial status or social background. This further helped to promote fairness and equity among the citizens. For instance the National Health Service was based on the three principles that helped to improve the entire health care system (Chris et al 2011). In addition, duties and responsibilities were clearly defined whereby; each sector under each subdivision was assigned some duties. The establishment of general practice and Primary care trust among other sectors helped to enhance transparency and accountability in governance of the entire health system (Chris et al 2011). In above connection, the key characteristics of health care system external environment have led to other impacts positive and negative impact. For instance the waiting time for admission into health system was reduced from 18 weeks to 2 weeks for emergency cases and four weeks for out patient cases. This has further led to increase efficiency in service delivery in the entire health system. In addition, Infant mortality rates declined substantially du to efficient and effective accessibility of the health care system. This further led to an increase in life expectancy among the citizens. Research indicates that cardiovascular complications reduced substantially as smoking rates declined as well as cancer related complications (Chris et al 2011). Additionally, the rates of infection have significantly declined due to the establishment of an integrated health care system. However, despite having numerous positive impacts, the productivity of National Health Service declined substantially. The gap in terms of life expectancy between the rich and the poor continuously broaden up. In above connection, there has been increase complexity in the structure of National Hospital Service as a result of integration of numerous sectors within NHS (Chris et al 2011). Therefore, it can be scrutinized that there is need for cautiously monitoring of the entire health system by NHS. This is because competition has increased as more health organisation enters into the market. This means that failure to exercise cautious monitoring may compromise the standards of the health system. Conclusion Reference List Chris Ham, Candace.I.Nick.G. Dixon.G, Patrick.S. (2011).The Kings Fund Where Next for the NHS Reforms? The Case of Integrated Care. Retrieved :< www.Kingsfund.org.org.ukon> 23rd May2013. Davies, P. (2007). The NHS in the UK: a pocket guide 2007/08. London, NHS Confederation. Donaldson, C. (1998). Why a National Health Service?: the economic rationale. London, Institute for Public Policy Research. Gillam, S., Yates, J., and Badrinath, P. (2012). Essential public health: theory and practice. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. Heithoff, K. A., & Lohr, K. N. (1990). Effectiveness and outcomes in health care: proceedings of an invitational conference by the Institute of Medicine, Division of Health Care Services. Washington, D.C., National Academy Press. Hitchcock, J. E., Schubert, P. E., and Thomas, S. A. (2003). Community health nursing: caring in action. Australia, Thomson/Delmar Learning. Moseley, G. B. (2009). Managing health care business strategy. Sudbury, Mass, Jones and Bartlett. Muller, M., Bezuidenhout, M., and Jooste, K. (2006). Health care service management. Cape Town, Juta. Nuffield. (2013).Understanding Competition and Choice in NHS .Retrieved on 18th May 213. Teitelbaum, J. B., and Wilensky, S. E. (2013). Essentials of health policy and law. Sudbury, Mass, Jones & Bartlett Learning. UK Health Care. (2012).UK Health Care Internal Medicine. Lexington Kentucky. Retrieved :< http://ukhealthcare.uky.edu/internal/#.UZ51XvL2vFw>on 22nd May 2013. NHS Employers. (2013). Pest Analysis. Retrieved : on 23rd May 2013. References HAM.C.(2009) Health policy in Britain Bernard .A (2011) Key themes in health and social care Blank H.R,Burau.V (2010). The Health System in Comparative Perspective: Comparative Health Policy. 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