Health care economics has the potential to affect each of us either personally or professionally. This impact can be viewed from a health economics point-of-view (where we discuss the value of health care and its efficiency) or it can examine how health care is financed (focus on how health care is funded). Health economics and health care funding have the potential to influence health care outcomes in a variety of ways. The bulleted list below outlines topics and health care issues that many institutions encounter. Organizations often have to implement strategies or initiatives to resolve or improve these issues and create positive patient and institution outcomes.

Examples of health care economic issues:

• The influence of health care economics on community health—for example, social determinants of health (such as access to care and health care finance).
• Supply and demand: How do we in the health care environment exist when there are more needs from communities and patients than we have the resources to supply? An example of this would be a high number of patients and low resource levels such as staff, supplies, and equipment.
• The public’s attitude toward health, disease, and the health care system—for example, how money is distributed has the potential to impact the health care outcomes of certain populations. An example of this would be the lack of access and funding for underserved and rural communities.
• Other issues might include access to care, social determinants of health, senior health, food insecurity or food desserts, inadequate staffing, homelessness, rehospitalization environmental issues leading to chronic disease, etc.

As you move through this course, you will work toward developing a potential solution for a health care issue within your current or desired health care system. The goal of this assignment is to identify an economic health care issue that you will address throughout the course.

Later in the course, you will (a) conduct a needs analysis to justify your focus on this topic area using the literature of the field, (b) present an argument for change in your organization bolstered by a cost-benefit analysis, and (c) advocate for this change at the state level. Keep these future assignments in mind as you select your topic.

Instructions

For this assignment, you will write a brief 2–3 page report about the health care economic issue that you have identified. In addition, you will also be asked to address the reasons why you selected the issue you did, how this issue impacts the work of you, your colleagues, and your organization, as well as describe the gap that you see contributing to this issue.

Be sure to address each main point. Read the performance-level descriptions for each criterion to see how your work will be assessed. In addition, note the requirements for document format and length and for supporting evidence. Review the assignment instructions and scoring guide to ensure you understand the work you will be asked to complete and how it will be assessed.

Overall, you will be assessed on the following criteria:

• Describe a health care economic issue and how it impacts a specific community or population.
  • Note the data, information, or observations used to support your description.
• Explain the rationale for choosing your health care economic issue.
• Explain how the health care economic issue has affected your work, your organization, your colleagues, and your community.
• Identify the gap that is contributing to the need to address the economic issue.
  • Cite at least one piece of evidence to support your identification of the gap. This could be public health data, a peer-reviewed journal article, or another scholarly source.
• Convey purpose, in an appropriate tone and style, incorporating supporting evidence and adhering to organizational, professional, and scholarly writing standards.

Be sure to reflect on the readings and discussions you have completed so far and consider how the content of these activities might inform your approach to this assignment. Ask your instructor any questions you have about the assignment.

Additional Requirements

• Length of Submission: 2–3 double-spaced pages.
• Number of References: Cite at least one piece of evidence to support your identification of the gap. This could be public health data, a peer-reviewed journal article, or another scholarly source.
• APA formatting: Titles, headings, resources, and citations are formatted according to the current APA style.

Note: As you revise your writing, check out the resources listed on the Writing Center’s Writing Support page.

SCORING GUIDE

Your work will be evaluated using this criteria.

VIEW SCORING GUIDE

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assignment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide criteria:

• Competency 1: Analyze the effects of financial and economic factors (such as cost-benefit, supply and demand, return on investment, and risks) in a health care system on patient care, services offered, and organizational structures and operation.
  • Explain the rationale for choosing the health care economic issue.
• Competency 2: Develop ethical and culturally equitable solutions to economic problems within a health care organization in an effort to improve the quality of care and services offered.
  • Describe a health care economic issue and how it impacts a specific community or population.
• Competency 3: Justify the qualitative and quantitative information used to guide economic decision making to stakeholders and colleagues.
  • Identify the gap that is contributing to the need to address the economic issue.
• Competency 4: Develop ethical and culturally equitable economic strategies to address dynamic environmental forces and ensure the future security of an organization’s resources and its ability to provide quality care.
  • Explain how the health care economic issue has affected your work, your organization, colleagues, and community.
• Competency 5: Produce clear, coherent, and professional written work, in accordance with Capella’s writing standards.
  • Convey purpose, in an appropriate tone and style, incorporating supporting evidence and adhering to organizational, professional, and scholarly writing standards.