Dissertations / Theses on the topic '321215 Health Care Administration'

This research began a journey towards improved maturity around data quality management in New Zealand health care, where total data quality management is 'business as usual" institutionalised into the daily practices of all those who work in health care. The increasingly information intensive nature of health care demands a proactive and strategic approach to data quality to ensure the right information is available to the right person at the right time in the right format, all in consideration of the rights of the patient to have his/her health data protected and used in an ethical way. The work extends and tests principles to establish good practice and overcome practical barriers. This thesis explores the issues that define and control data quality in the national health data collections and the mechanisms and frameworks that can be developed to achieve and sustain good data quality. The research is interpretive, studying meaning within a social setting. The research provides the structure for learning and potential change through the utilisation of action research. Grounded theory provides the structure for the analysis of qualitative data through inductive coding and constant comparison in the analysis phase of the action research iterative cycle. Participatory observation provided considerable rich data as the researcher was a member of staff within the organisation. Data were also collected at workshops, focus groups, structured meetings and interviews. The development of a Data Quality Evaluation Framework and a national Data quality Improvement Strategy provides clear direction for a holistic and 'whole of health sector' way of viewing data quality, with the ability for organisations to develop and implement local innovations through locally developed strategies and data quality improvement programmes. The researcher utilised the theory of appreciative enquiry (Fry, 2002) to positively encourage change, and to encourage the utilisation of existing organisational knowledge. Simple rules, such as the TDQM process and the data quality dimensions guided the change, leaving room for innovation. The theory of 'complex systems of adjustment' (Champagne, 2002; Stacey, 1993) can be instilled in the organisation to encourage change through the constant interaction of people throughout the organisation.

Thesis (M.P.A.)--Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, 1995.
Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 45-06, page: 2939. Abstract precedes thesis as [1] preliminary leaf. Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 91-92).

The aim of operations management in health care is to enhance the provision of services to patients and to decrease costs. Overall worldwide health care expenditures represent around 10.5% of the global GDP and are projected to increase at an annual rate of 5.3% from 2015 to 2017 [74]. In order to investigate how to curb health care costs, I study the English NHS, a health care system that provided universal care to around 54 million people in 2014 [243]. The NHS has launched many initiatives to improve the performance of hospital operations such as the "QIPP" program, which has the objective to save £20 billion of costs by 2015 [98]. Given this framework, this research aims to contribute to the theory that is guiding these operational changes, using data on all admissions to hospitals and focussing on the inguinal hernia, one of the most common surgical procedures [86]. In the next chapters, this research describes inguinal hernia care delivery in the English NHS, examines the impact of spillovers and complementarities on costs, and investigates the effects of length of stay reduction on risk of re-admission and risk of death. The findings of this thesis indicate that one of the possible problems in the delivery of inguinal hernia care in the NHS is the decrease in the number of elective operations performed and the increase in readmission rates. They also clarify how decisions on allocation of resources can affect hospital expenditures by showing that loss in focus can increase health care costs and by pointing out that there is little evidence to support the theory of spillovers and complementarities in the surgical context. Finally, the results of this research can be used to suggest the logic of a policy to decrease length of stay that can inform hospital decisions and can decrease hospital costs.

Health care leaders who lack effective nurse turnover strategies can negatively affect patient quality of care, productivity, and profitability. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies health care leaders used to reduce nursing turnover in a health care organization. The conceptual framework for this study was Herzberg's 2-factor theory. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 4 health care leaders in the West Texas region who had a history of reducing nurse turnover for a minimum of 5 years from the date of hire, and from review of organizational documents related to the strategies to reduce nurse turnover, including policy handbooks and annual reports. Data were analyzed using word frequency and coding to distinguish patterns. Three key themes emerged: leadership support, job satisfaction, and compensation. The results of this study might contribute to social change through an increased understanding of nurse turnover strategies that would improve productivity and the overall quality of patient care to yield organizational success, decreased mortality rates, and improved community health.

Children with special health care needs (CSHCN) generally have physical, mental, or emotional conditions that require a broader range and greater quantity of health and related services compared to typical children. Care coordination (CC) and family-centered care (FCC) are necessary in the quality of health care for CSHCN. A gap exists in the literature regarding the impact of CC and FCC on children's functional ability (FA). Previous researchers have focused on met and unmet health care needs, but not on health outcomes or functionality. The purpose of this study was to determine if there was an association between CC, FCC, and FA in CSHCN. The design of this study was a secondary analysis of data from the 2005--2006 National Survey of CSHCN. The study was guided by an adapted socioecological multilevel conceptual framework. Statistical methods included univariate, bivariate, and multiple logistic regression analysis. Results indicated that CC was associated with FA in CSHCN. CSHCN that did not receive CC had a 53% increased risk (OR =1.53, 95%CI 1.21--1.94, p < 0.001) for a limitation in FA compared to CSHCN that received CC, controlling for age, gender, number of conditions, household poverty level, parental educational level, and health insurance. FCC was not associated with a limitation in FA in CSHCN ( p = 0.61). Findings from this study were consistent with the socioecological multilevel framework and the literature on care coordination. This study contributed to positive social change by providing information that can be used by public health officials, health care providers and policy makers in developing policies to assure that care coordination is provided to CSHCN and their families in order to improve their health outcomes and functionality.

This dissertation investigates whether differences in organizational innovation amongst health care providers can explain the huge variation in costs and outcomes. I specifically consider two facets of organizational innovation: the deployment of information technology and the relationships between hospitals and physicians. In the first chapter, I investigate IT adoption in a service setting by considering the impact of electronic medical records (EMRs) on the length of stay and clinical outcomes of patients in US hospitals. To uncover the distinct impacts of EMRs on operational efficiency and care coordination, I present evidence of heterogeneous effects by patient complexity. I find that EMRs have the largest impact for relatively less complex patients. Admission to a hospital with an EMR is associated with a 2\% reduction in length of stay and a 9\% reduction in thirty-day mortality for such patients. In contrast, there is no statistically significant benefit for more complex patients. However, I present three additional results for complex cases. First, patients returning to the same hospital benefit relative to those who previously went to a different hospital, which could be due to easier access to past electronic records. Second, computerized order entry is associated with higher billed charges. Finally, hospitals that have a high share of publicly insured patients, and hence a bigger incentive to curb resource use, achieve a greater reduction in length of stay for complex patients after EMR adoption. In the second chapter, co-authored with Robert Huckman, I investigate the role of process specialists in guiding customers through such complex service transactions by considering the management of patients admitted to U.S hospitals. Traditionally, a patient's primary care physician has been in charge of his or her hospital admission. Over the past decade, however, there has been a steady rise in the use of hospitalists - physicians who spend all their professional time at the hospital - in managing inpatient care. Using data from the American Hospital Association and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database, we find that hospitals with hospitalist programs achieve reductions in the risk-adjusted length of stay of inpatients over the time period 2003 to 2010. The effect is strongest for complex patients who have a higher number of comorbidities. Our findings support the view that process specialists such as hospitalists are particularly beneficial for complex transactions that entail a greater degree of coordination. In the final chapter, I document the positive relationship between consolidation in the health care industry and technology adoption. I propose several mechanisms that could explain the association between the adoption of electronic medical records and greater hospital-physician integration. I show that the positive correlation between technology adoption and hospital consolidation has been increasing over time. I show that hospitals located in concentrated markets are more likely to adopt electronic medical records and to use hospitalists. Moreover, for a limited set of hospitals, the quality of management is positively associated with the adoption of electronic medical records and the use of hospitalists.
Business Economics

The Non-Veteran Administration Care (NVC) is a program in which the Veterans Health Administration purchases health care when it cannot provide the health services needed for eligible Veterans. The rising cost of this program led to audits by the Office of the Inspector General and other entities. The scholarly problem for this DNP Project was the lack of oversight, accountability, and management, found throughout the audits of NVC, as well as a lack of evaluation of NVC. The purpose of this project was to ascertain if there was a relationship between the Non-VA Care Coordination program (NVCC) and utilization of care. The NVCC was implemented to eliminate the deficiencies cited by audits. Sleep study and chiropractic consults for FY 2013 (pre-NVCC) and FY 2014 (post-NVCC) were examined. Sleep apnea service was available at the local Veteran Administration Medical Center and chiropractic service was not. Utilization of care was determined by emergency room (ER) visits and admissions related to the consult. A logic model was used to conceptualize the project and the longer-term implementation and evaluation of NVCC, and descriptive statistics were used to analyze trends in the chiropractic data (sleep study consults were excluded from the analysis due to the minute number). There were a total of 859 chiropractic consults and 2,184 approved visits analyzed. The results revealed that Veterans who utilized the consults had no ER visits or admissions related to referrals for chiropractic consults. Completed chiropractic consults remained proportionality the same both years. NVCC had no association with the utilization of care. This scholarly project contributes to social change by empowering consumers and providing transparency in the government through audits that facilitate quality improvement and evaluation of the NVCC program.

Home health care has become a popular long term care option as most seniors prefer to age and heal in the comfort of their homes and among their loved ones. With the advent of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and a rise in baby boomers, home health care has become an integral part of the health care delivery system. Additionally, these have led to an increased demand for Home Health Agencies - HHA’s, and created a good market for the home health business. The following business plan is developed for the establishment of a Home Health Agency, in Long Beach, California. Chapter 1 Market analysis discusses the market structure and potential for the Home health business and analysis of the company, customers, and competitors. It also presents the marketing strategies, goals and objectives. Chapter 2 Feasibility and SWOT Analysis explains the operational feasibility and financial viability of the business plan. This chapter also explores the strengths and weaknesses of the business, opportunities for the business and threats to the business. Chapter 3 Legal and Regulatory issues, describes various legal aspects and regulatory requirements in a home health agency business. Chapter 4 Financial Analysis, gives detailed explanation of the financial plan and structure for the business like costs, expenses, budget and compensation.

The need for home health care is a growing need in the United States due to the shift of the “baby-boomers” into the post retirement years. However, there is a growing niche market within this aging population: the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) elders who have lived their adult lives “out of the closet” and who are facing difficulty receiving care which is compassionate and culturally sensitive at the same time. The mission of Hand-In-Hand Home Health Care is to provide exceptional home health care with a team of professionals that provide patient-centered care which is culturally sensitive and compassionate, achieved with employee training developed by SAGE (Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders). Hand-In-Hand Home Health Care will achieve economic viability within the first year through optimal cash flow management with Axxess client software and the initial capital assistance with a 7a Small Business Loan.

Many physical changes occur as one ages, including changes associated with the oral cavity. A review of the literature suggests that the provision of dental care to institutionalized elderly patients presents problems due to a variety of factors. The purpose of this study is to assess the level or dental care provided to residents of long-term care facilities located in Warren County, Kentucky. In addition, secondary objectives Include the ascertainment of who provides dental care to residents and the amount or in-service dental training made available to staff members of the facility. Each administrator of the long term care facilities located in Warren County participated in an *interview conducted by the author. During the interview, information was obtained for a 21 item questionnaire concerning the facility, the number and age range or the residents, and types of dental services provided within the facility. Results obtained from the questionnaire indicated that 77 percent or the residents in long-tern care facilities in Warren County are 70 years of age or older. No significant differences were noted in the types or dental services provided to residents. However, the dental services provided ranged from those that were obtained in a private dental office via transportation or the resident to outside dental facilities to routine oral hygiene measures carried out by staff members employed by the facility. The findings revealed significant differences in the dental status of the MRDD residents when compared to the nursing home residents. Other findings indicated that none of the long-term care facilities had dental operatories or dental radiographic equipment on the premises. Additional research would be required in order to address uncertainties discovered in the study. A followup to the questionnaire Interview with the consulting dentists may be included to determine to what capacity and to what extent they are utilized by the facilities. Other recommendations include the utilization of entrance dental examinations to determine if services offered do meet the needs of the residents and periodic dental examinations to aid in detection and thus reduce the prevalence of dental diseases in this population.

In recent years, the financial barrier to access for prescription contraceptives has been lifted due to the Affordable Care Act. However, there is still a barrier to access because those who want it still need to get a prescription from a provider. This business plan proposes the establishment of Azura Digital Health, a scheduling tool that obstetricians and gynecologists can use to schedule their appointments, while also offering patients convenience for birth control prescriptions and assistance with finding the women’s health provider that is right for them. Allowing patients to choose their provider can increase quality for their health, since they can choose the doctor they feel is best for them. Additionally, the convenience of getting their birth control prescription helps patients get a simple prescription for what they need in a timely manner. The scheduling tool allows providers to market themselves and broaden their patient base, as Azura Digital Health would do that work for them. Azura Digital Health hopes to improve women’s healthcare quality, breaking the barrier to prescriber access.

Libyan citizens who can afford private health care are opting out of the public health care system. They have a perception that the quality of public health care has deteriorated. The negative perceptions have resulted in a lack of trust by many of Libyan's citizens in the Libyan public health care system and consequently to unequal access to quality health care. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that have led to the negative perceptions and mistrust. The conceptual support for the study was based on a construct of trust that defines trust as the state of readiness for unguarded interaction with someone or something. Key research questions examined the role Libyan cultural values and privatization of healthcare might have played in creating the negative perceptions and mistrust of the healthcare and its delivery and whether the perceptions and mistrust varied between the patients and healthcare providers. The research methodology used for this study was a qualitative exploratory single-case study. Fifty participants were interviewed during a one-month period. Responses were coded using ATLAS.ti. Study results provided an understanding of the cultural considerations, the impact of privatization, and the respondents' perceptions of Libyan public health care. Results indicated that respondents demonstrated the capacity to trust but did not consistently have positive perceptions of competence and intention of administrators of the public health care system. The findings suggest that patients view the behavior of providers as an indication of their level of skill. Additionally, respondents perceived that they will have a higher level of service if they have a personal recommendation. The social change implication for this study is that overcoming these negative perceptions and improving trust can lead to equal access to quality health care.

Sixty-four United States hospitals closed for poor organizational performance during 2010 through 2016. Because of hospital closures, community members experienced delays in obtaining needed care, reduced access to specialty care, and increased travel distances. Based on the balanced scorecard model theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies that 10 health care leaders used at a healthcare organization in central Texas to prevent financial distress. Semistructured interviews were conducted and archival organizational accounting records were reviewed, including company surveys with employees and patients. Data were thematically analyzed and triangulated to ensure the trustworthiness of interpretations. The findings identified 3 themes: effective leadership to improve organizational performance; training, skills development and continuous learning to improve performance; and customer focus strategies to increase customer satisfaction. The findings of this study may contribute to social change by improving access to healthcare services, increasing access to specialty care, and increasing customer satisfaction.

Thesis (MCur (Nursing Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The work environment in critical care units in South Africa is hampered by a profound shortage of nurses, heavy workloads, conflict, high levels of stress, lack of motivation and dissatisfaction among the staff. The task of managing a C.C.U. has therefore become a challenge. It is important that unit managers apply a leadership style that matches these challenges. The aim of this study was to investigate the ideal style of leadership. The objectives set for the study were to identify the ideal leadership style required in the following areas:  administrative functions  education functions  patient care  research An explorative, descriptive research design was applied, with a quantitative approach to determine the ideal leadership style for unit managers in critical care units of private health care institutions. The research sample consisted of all nurses working permanently in eleven private hospitals in the Cape Metropolitan area. A questionnaire consisting of predominantly closed questions was used for the collection of data, which was collected by the researcher in person. Ethical approval was obtained from the Committee of Human Science Research at Stellenbosch University. Permission to conduct the research was obtained from the institutions and informed consent from the participants. A pilot study was conducted to test the questionnaire at a private hospital which did not form part of the study. A 10% sample of the relevant staff, namely 27 participants were involved in this study. The validity and reliability was assured through the pilot study and the use of a statistician as well as experts in nursing and a research methodologist. Data was tabulated and presented in histograms and frequencies. Statistical significant associations were drawn between variables, using the Chi-square test. The Spearman rank (rho) order correlation was used to show the strength of the relationship between two continuous variables. Findings of the study show that participatory leadership style and transformational leadership approach were valued in all four (4) of the objectives. Emphasis was placed on consultation prior to any decisions. Nurses requested an opportunity to give feedback on a regular basis regarding the unit managers conduct (Chi-square test p = 0.025). They also agreed that unit managers should apply the necessary rules and procedures (Chi-square test p = 0.016). A huge request was made for integrity, trust, impartiality, openness, approachability and particularly honesty. The nurses also maintained that the nurse manager’s behaviour should be congruent. Furthermore, the results indicate that nurses would like to be empowered by:  being involved in the scheduling of off-duties  taking the lead in climate meetings  being granted opportunities (to all categories of nurses) to attend managerial meetings. N = 41 (48.2%) of nurses admitted that unit managers would instruct them to cope with insufficient staffing pertaining to ventilated patients, putting them under severe strain and at risk legally. N = 39 (47%) of nurses admitted that unit managers only consider qualifications and experience in the delegation of tasks if the workload in the unit justifies it. Safe patient care is not always a priority. N = 99 (96%) of nurses agreed that autocratic behaviour relating to task delegation exists. Recommendations included the application of transformational leadership and participatory management. The aim to create a healthier, more favourable work environment for critical care nurses will hopefully be attained through applying the ideal leadership style and leadership approach.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die werksverrigtinge in kritieke sorgeenhede in Suid-Afrika word deur ‘n ernstige tekort aan verpleegsters, hoë werklading, konflik, spanning, min motivering en baie ontevredenheid onder verpleeglui gekortwiek. Die leiding en bestuur van ‘n kritieke sorgeenheid is dus nie ‘n maklike taak nie. Dit is dus belangrik dat eenheidsbestuurders ‘n leierskapstyl aan die dag lê wat dié uitdagings doeltreffend aanspreek. Die doel van die studie is dus om ondersoek in te stel na die wenslike leierskapstyl vir kritieke sorgeenhede. Die doelwitte daargestel is dus om die ideale leierskapstyl in elk van die volgende funksies te bepaal:  administrasie  opleiding  pasiënte-sorg  navorsing Die ideale leierskapstyl vir eenheidbestuurders in kritieke sorgeenhede in privaathospitale is bepaal deur ‘n kwantitatiewe benadering met ‘n beskrywende ontwerp toe te pas. Die populasie het alle kritieke sorg verpleeglui ( permanent werksaam by een van elf privaathospitale in die Kaapse Metropool) ingesluit. Instrumentasie het ‘n vraelys behels (met oorwegend geslote vrae) en data is persoonlik deur die navorser ingevorder. Etiese toestemming is vanaf die Etiese Komitee van die Mediese Fakulteit te Universiteit Stellenbosch verkry asook die hoofde van die verskillende privaathospitale waar navorsing plaasgevind het. Ingeligte toestemming is ook van elkeen van die deelnemers verkry. Ten einde die vraelys te toets, is ‘n loodstudie by ‘n privaathospitaal ( wat nie by die studie ingesluit was nie) gedoen. Die loodstudie het N = 27 (10%) van die totale populasie behels. Die betroubaarheid en geldigheid van die studie is deur die loodstudie, die gebruik van ‘n statistikus, verpleegdeskundiges en die navorser-metodoloog versterk. Data is getabuleer en in histogramme en frekwensies voorgestel. Deur die Chi-square- toets te gebruik, is statisties betekenisvolle assosiasies tussen veranderlikes bepaal. Ten einde sterkte van verhoudings tussen twee opeenvolgende veranderlikes te bepaal, is die Spearman rangordekorrelasie (rho) aangewend. Die bevindings van die studie het getoon dat ‘n deelnemende bestuurstyl en transformasie-leierskapbenadering die mees aangewese keuse vir al vier doelwitte is. Die toepassing van veral ‘n deelnemende besluitnemingsproses het groot voorrang geniet, Verpleegkundiges wil daarbenewens ook op ‘n gereelde basis geleentheid hê om terugvoering oor die leierskapgedrag van die eenheidsbestuurder te gee (Chi-square toets p = 0.025). Ook verlang die deelnemers dat eenheidsbestuurders nie reëls en regulasies moet verontagsaam nie (Chi-square toets p = 0.016). ‘n Ernstige versoek is gerig ten opsigte van integriteit met pertinente verwysing na eerlikheid, vertroue, onpartydigheid, deursigtigheid, toeganklikheid en dat die leier se woorde en dade moet ooreenstem. Die resultate het verder getoon dat verpleegsters graag bemagtig wil word deur:  betrokkenheid in die skedulering van afdienste,  leiding in klimaatsvergaderings te wil neem,  geleentheid te hê om bestuurvergaderings by te woon (alle kategorieë van verpleegkundiges).. N = 39 (48.2%) van verpleegkundiges het erken dat hulle gedwonge personeeltekorte ten opsigte van geventileerde pasiënte ervaar en dus aan mediese geregtelike risiko’s en onnodige druk blootgestel word. N 39 (47%) van verpleegkundiges het erken dat eenheidsbestuuders kwalifikasies en ondervinding slegs in ag neem indien die werklading in die eenheid dit toelaat..Veilige pasiëntesorg kry dus nie altyd voorkeur nie. N = 99 (96%) van verpleegkundiges het erken dat outokratiese gedrag ( wat met werkstoewysing verband hou) wel voorkom. ‘n Transformasie leierskapsbenadering en deelnemende bestuurstyl is dus aanbeveel. Die hoop word dus uitgespreek dat deur aan die verpleegkundiges se versoeke ten opsigte van die ideale bestuursbenadering en bestuurstyl te voldoen, die werksatmosfeer binne kritieke sorgeenhede toenemend gesonder en dus aangenamer sal word.

Lack of employee commitment affects the overall practice in healthcare organizations and can cause a disruption in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities who are receiving care. Researchers have demonstrated that increasing employee commitment and decreasing employee turnover are related to employee commitment in healthcare organizations. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies that leaders of an intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities in the northwestern United States used to enhance employee commitment. Meyer and Herchovitch's model of employee commitment was the conceptual framework for this study. Data were collecting from semistructured interviews with 2 home managers and 1 area supervisor of a healthcare facility with experience in employee commitment. Data were transcribed, analyzed, and coded for themes and subthemes; data validity was established using member checking of the findings for accuracy and credibility. Three main themes emerged from the data analysis: organizations' healthcare insurance, bonuses, and teamwork. Healthcare leaders might implement the findings of this study to increase and develop employee commitment, improve profitability and sustainability, improve patient care, and improve safety to bring about a positive and effective social change to benefit patients, families, and communities.

The United States health care system has evolved over the years, to be a massive system with many steps required to obtain medical care. With the current shortage of primary care providers, patients are often waiting for an available appointment to receive basic medical treatments, screenings, immunizations, etc. A trip to the physician’s office, urgent care, or emergency department can be an entire day ordeal. The emergence of retail clinics since the year 2000, has been tackling this issue to provide convenient medical care in the community. The cost of health care has also risen, leading to many individuals, even those that are newly insured, to avoid seeking treatment. Wellness Check is a new convenient care clinic seeking to fill the gap in the market for patients that wish to be seen quickly and conveniently. This new retail health clinic chain will be in central hubs throughout multiple communities, with the goal of bridging the gap in primary care. The following proposed business plan outlines an analysis of the market, business feasibility, legal and regulatory factors, and finances. Wellness Check will succeed in providing expedient convenient care with tremendous growth potential looking towards the future.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Michigan State University. Rehabilitation Counselor Education , 2008.
Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on July 2, 2009) Includes bibliographical references (p. 128-144). Also issued in print.

This thesis address one of the most important topics for the human being; health. Specifically, the research is about the deficiencies of the health system in Mexico. This paper shows the importance, how the system works and its current situation in the country. The purpose of this research is, based on the Pareto principle (20% vs 80%), to find how to solve most problems with the least possible investment.   It was found that the common denominator in the problems was the process and flow of information of the patients; specifically, the health records. The researchers address the issue at first explaining in a deep way the health records to highlight their importance in the health care system. In order to corroborate this finding in the literature; The researchers designed an interview, which was applied to physicians from the two main health institutions in Mexico in order to collect the necessary information to develop the thesis.   Since the design of the research is qualitative; the necessary social context is given to be able to understand the analysis and the results; likewise, the authors explain in detail the methodology used.   In spite of other important factors that were found such as the lack of results despite the investment and deficiencies in the infrastructure; It was concluded that, in fact, most of the problems were derived from the problems of health records. These results are important because it gives a parameter of what must be corrected first in order to have the expected results and a better health system.

Thesis (M.P.A.)--Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, 1992.
Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 45-06, page: 2940. Abstract precedes thesis as [1] preliminary leaf. Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 147-158).

Chronic diseases impose heavy burdens on the United States health care system, particularly among some ethnic/racial groups such as American Indian and Alaska Natives who experience higher incidence of these diseases than non-Native population. In an effort to improve the health status of its patients, the Ukudigaunal Wellness Center (UWC) partnered with the Improving Patient Care (IPC) Collaborative to implement changes designed to improve chronic disease care for Native Alaskans through intensive monitoring of screening for chronic disease and selected chronic disease outcomes. For this program evaluation, the units of analysis were the changes in health service delivery and the resulting patient clinical outcomes. The data source was the Registration and Patient Management System (RPMS), repository for the data collected over the 14 months of the collaborative. The findings showed that the process measures that met IPC goals were due to improvements in service delivery by UWC. Goals for other services, such as diagnostic screenings, were not met because these clinical components had to be coordinated with facilities outside UWC. Outcome measures for BP and HgbA1c control were not met as these depended on the patients' abilities to self-manage the required procedures. The implications for social change included: (a) Positive outcome in managing chronic diseases is possible by combining chronic care models with Deming's model for improvement; (b) Increased patient awareness of chronic conditions and their long term consequences tended to support more responsible and successful patient self-management; (c) Use of external medical resources should be considered when patient privacy and confidentiality are concerns.

Staff turnover is high in the hospital industry, influencing health care administration leaders to implement successful strategies to decrease staff turnover. The purpose of this case study was to explore successful strategies to reduce hospital employee turnover. Five health care leaders from Raleigh, North Carolina hospitals were in the sample drawn from the population of medical professionals with successful employee retention in their hospital settings. The conceptual framework for this study was the Herzberg dual-factor theory with the supporting theory, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, and the opposing theory, Vroom’s expectancy theory. Semistructured interviews occurred with 5 leaders. The review of hospital human resource documents, website pages, and training program information combined with interview data for methodological triangulation using the Yin 5-step process, leading to 5 themes. Participants emphasized selective recruitment and hiring with a focus on hiring employees for a good organizational fit. Participants discussed different ways of engaging, supporting, and motivating hospital employees. Strategies included valuing employees, effective communication, recognition, and respect. Participants identified a fair, flexible, collaborative, and safe organizational culture as ideal for the retention of hospital employees who fit with the hospital environment. Reducing employee turnover may improve customer relations and quality of care in hospitals, leading to lower health care costs, representing positive social change for hospital employees and the patients served.

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of clinical stress and burnout on health care professionals on critical care units. Thirty individuals who were employed at a local public hospital participated in the study. Participants completed a 25 item questionnaire on clinical stress and a 20 item questionnaire on burnout. A bivariate analysis was computed using Pearson's(r) correlation. The study found that there is a significant relationship between clinical stress and burnout.

Preventative care services allow patients to be fully equipped with the knowledge, tools, and other resources to help them discover and treat many diseases and illnesses so that the burden of costs will not fall on patients and their families. Since the passage of the Affordable Care of Act (ACA) by President Barack Obama, the requirement for health insurance coverage has not translated to utilization of preventative care services. The purpose of this study is to determine the motivation for African Americans who have insurance coverage and access to care who are not taking advantage of opportunities for screenings and health education. The health belief model was used to determine how belief and modifying factors influence health decisions. The quantitative study required use of a secondary dataset to determine utilization of preventative care services, insurance affordability, future access to care and understanding of the health care law. The study included testing the statistical significance of these factors among African Americans, White Americans, and Hispanic Americans who participated in the Healthy Americas Survey. Using the program SPSS to process data analyzation and organize output, results reveal that African American participants are concerned about the future ability to access and afford care. With a history of distrust amongst African Americans and the health industry, social implications are for administrators and providers to bridge the gap by offering health education to those in their immediate communities and requesting and implementing feedback from those same individuals.

Health care reform has been described as a global epidemic. This thesis deals with nature and experience of health care reform in developing countries. Increasing privatisation, economic transition, and structural adjustment have provided the context for health system changes. Different approaches to reform have been developed by international organisations such as the World Bank, WHO and UNICEF. What has driven national health care reforms? Are such policies really appropriate to developing countries? Has a consensus now emerged in relation to international health policy? Has a new health care ‘model’ appeared? The study of health care reform in Cambodia is a timely opportunity to investigate the implementation of health care reform under extreme conditions. These conditions include a legacy of genocide, long-term conflict, political isolation, and economic transition. This case study uses both qualitative and quantitative methods and multiple sources of data to analyse the reform program. The study reinforces the conclusion that, under conditions of extreme poverty, market based reforms are likely to have limited positive impact. Rather, understanding the cultural conditions that determine demand, delivering health care of a satisfactory quality, providing appropriate incentives for health practitioners, and supporting services with adequate public funding are the prerequisites for improved service delivery and utilisation. Cambodia's strategy of integrated district health service development and universal population coverage may provide an instructive example of reform. Emerging policy issues identified by this case study include the fundamental role of equity in service provision, the influence of the social determinants of health and illness and interest in the appropriate use of evidence in international health policy-making.

Thesis (M.S.) University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006.
The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file viewed on (June 26, 2007) Includes bibliographical references.

Managed care became the dominant model for moderating healthcare costs in the 1990's. The later half of this past decade witnessed early signs of a return to escalating premiums. Providers and consumers have reacted negatively to perceptions of health plan micro-management and restriction of choice.

Thesis (S.M. in Technology and Policy)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2013.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 60-62).
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) provides care to over eight million Veterans and operates over 1,700 sites of care distributed across twenty-one regional networks in the United States. Health care providers within VHA report large seasonal variation in the demand for services, especially in healthcare systems located in the southern U.S. that experience a large influx of "snowbirds" during the winter. Since the majority of resource allocation activities are carried out through a single annual budgeting process at the start of the fiscal year, the seasonal load imposed by "traveling Veterans," defined as Veterans that seek care at VHA sites outside of their home network, make providing high quality services more difficult. This work constitutes the first major effort within VHA to understand the impact of traveling Veterans. We found a significant traveling Veteran population (6.6% of the total number of appointments), distributed disproportionately across the VHA networks. Strong seasonal fluctuations in demand were also discovered, particularly for the VA Bay Pines Healthcare System, in Bay Pines, Florida. Our analysis further indicated that traveling Veterans imposed a large seasonal load (up to 46%) on the Module A clinic at Bay Pines. We developed seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) models to help the clinic better forecast demand for its services by traveling Veterans. Our models were able to project demand, in terms of encounters and unique patients, with significantly less error than the traditional historical average methods. The SARIMA model for uniques was then used in a Monte Carlo simulation to understand how clinic resources are utilized over time. The simulation revealed that physicians at Module A are over-utilized, ranging from a minimum of 92.6% (June 2013) to maximum 207.4% (January 2013). These results evince the need to reevaluate how the clinic is currently staffed. More broadly, this research presents an example of how simple operations management methods can be deployed to aid operational decision-making at other clinics, facilities, and medical centers both within and outside VHA.
by Shahed Al-Haque.
S.M.in Technology and Policy

In the United States, many small businesses fail within the first 5 years due to poor implementation of sustainability strategies. Researchers and business practitioners have indicated that small business owners face challenges on how to maintain their businesses beyond 5 years due to lack of sustainability strategies. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the strategies that health care small business owners and managers in New York State use to maintain their businesses beyond 5 years. Sustainability development theory was used for the study's conceptual framework. Semistructured face-to-face interviews were conducted with 6 purposively-selected participants who had owned and managed health care small businesses for more than 5 years together with companies' official documents on strategies used to sustain their businesses to achieve goals. The 5 themes that emerged from the thematic analysis of the interview data are education, training, and experience; customer-centricity, information technology update, development of business plan, and relationship and networking. The findings indicated that participants use similar strategies to sustain small businesses. The results from this study may contribute to positive social change by providing area healthcare small business owners and managers with more knowledge on strategies for sustaining businesses. By sustaining their businesses, these business owners and managers can improve economic growth by offering employment opportunities and paying more corporate taxes, which the municipal government could use to provide social amenities to local citizens.

This dissertation studies Oregon primary care physicians' attitudes toward health care reform. Two models of reform are examined: one, health care rationing such as that proposed by the Oregon Health Plan (OHP); and, two, support for national health insurance (NHI). This work examines the necessity for changing the present health care system, traced from the early origins of the medical profession to the present day health care "crisis." The high cost of health care is examined and an overview of the OHP is provided, including citations from John Kitzhaber, M.D., author of the plan. Overall, Oregon primary care physicians overwhelmingly supported health care rationing policies. Just under 75 percent of the physicians expressed support for health care rationing policies such as that proposed by the Oregon Health Plan. However, just under 48 percent of the same physicians expressed support for national health insurance (NHI). Internal medicine physicians were most supportive of health care rationing policies and OB/GYN physicians were least supportive. Conversely, pediatricians were most supportive of NHI and OB/GYN physicians were least supportive. Regression analyses explained 11.5 percent of variation in support for health care rationing policies and 20.9 percent of their support for national health insurance (NHI). While strong support measures were found for health reform such as that proposed by the Oregon Health Plan (OHP), no similar measures of support for NHI emerged. Almost universal support for health care reform such as the OHP was found among primary care physicians across the state, however similar patterns were not found for NHI. It appears from the research's findings that attempts to change the health care system that include the physician's ability to ration care would be more successful than a more systematic change such as would occur under a national health insurance program. This dissertation points out that physicians represent strong supporting forces and/or opposing forces for health care reform. Their attitudes toward such reform must be considered if successful change is to occur in the U.S. health care system.

Changing regulations, increased competition, and evolving customers' expectations have necessitated significant organizational changes in the health care industry. This multiple case study investigated the strategies of senior managers from 3 California health care organizations to implement significant change initiatives. The participating organizations had a positive reputation for successfully implementing change. Data from interviews and a review of organizational documents were analyzed through the conceptual lens of Lewin's phases of change model and Kotter's 8-step process for implementing change. The analysis revealed 3 general themes: communications, training, and employee involvement. The managers of each participating organization emphasized the importance of keeping employees informed, and the importance of continuous bidirectional communication between all levels of the organization. They emphasized that communication facilitated a smooth and timely implementation of the planned change; they also noted the importance of training to assist employees in adapting to new job requirements and new technology. However, it was noted that the managers did not undergo any formal training in change implementation. Participants also emphasized the importance of employee involvement in the form of consultation concerning aspects of the implementation. Contrary to Lewin and Kotter's assumptions, the employees had no say in the initial decision to change, how to change or when to change. These findings have positive social change implications by assisting managers of health care organizations to improve their strategies for implementing change initiatives.

There is a low representation of Black American women (BAW) in health care senior leadership. With the high level of health problems found among the Black community, diversifying the executive leadership with BAW may be instrumental in increasing provider trust and reducing discriminatory action. Using critical race theory as the conceptual framework, this study examined the experiences, perceptions, and influential or deterrent factors inhibiting advancement of BAW in the health care field. Inquiry centered on factors related to lack of advancement, experiences at different stages of career progression, and strategies impacting career advancement. A qualitative research design using a transcendental phenomenological approach was the chosen method. Seven BAW who met the criteria for inclusion were selected by purposive sampling. Data were collected from semi-structured, audio-recorded, interviews using a newly created protocol. Data analysis included open coding; line-by-line data review; and the use of NVivo to search for frequencies of themes, coding, and text queries. Emergent themes were identified that provided comprehensive descriptions of the participants' experiences. According to study findings, perceived and experienced racial issues were apparent in hiring and work relations. Disparate practices were evident through a lack of inclusion in succession planning, being overlooked despite qualifications, and stereotyping. These findings may stimulate social change by helping those BAW aspiring for senior healthcare leadership to be more successful and by improving health outcomes for BAW through enhanced trust.

The study purpose is to link hospital structure, represented by each hospital’s professional contingent, service mix, and inpatient capacity; and its environment, characterized by the penetration of managed care enrollees. The secondary purpose is to test the relationship between hospital structural change and subsequent hospital performance. The study employs a non-experimental panel design, with a sample of 1882 community hospitals (service type: general medical and surgical). Environmental variables are measured for the base year 1989. Hospital structural variables are measured for 1989 and 1994, with change variables computed. Performance variables are measured for 1989 and 1995, with change computed for cost measures. Hospital structural change is viewed as a dependent variable related to the environment, as well as an independent variable related to performance. Descriptive data are extracted from the American Hospital Association Annual Survey of Hospitals. Hospital cost performance data are from the Health Care Financing Administration Prospective Payment System Minimum Data Sets. Hospital mortality data for 1989 are from Medicare Hospital Mortality Information. HMO enrollment data are extracted from the Interstudy Edge and aggregated to metropolitan statistical area (MSA) level. Market competition data are from the 1989 Area Resource File. A Herfindahl-Hirschman index (HHI) is calculated for each hospital’s MSA. Analytical hypotheses are tested using ordinary least squares (OLS) technique. Results from Part 1 suggest that where HMO penetration was relatively high, sample hospitals tended to contain growth in their registered nurse (RN) staff between 1989 and 1994. Higher HMO penetration is also associated with more stabilization in occupancy rates, preventive services, and ambulatory workload. In contrast, market competition is associated with changes to a higher Medicare case-mix index (CMI), and increase in ambulatory visits. Results from Part 2 indicate positive associations between increased RN staff and hospital cost growth between 1989 and 1995. Hospitals which did not experience an increased CMI are similarly linked with cost growth. Alternatively, reduction in hospital bedsize is associated with more controlled growth in hospital cost per patient day. Several control variables display noteworthy associations with the variables of interest. Theoretical and management implications for community hospitals are discussed.

Health care spending accounts for 17.7% of the gross domestic product in the United States, and it is expected to continue rising at an annual rate of 5.3%. Despite high costs, health care quality lags behind other high-income countries; yet, over 70% of change initiatives fail. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies primary care leaders use for implementing quality improvement initiatives to improve patient outcomes and reduce waste in primary care facilities. The target population consisted of 3 health care leaders of 3 primary care facilities in southern California who successfully implemented quality improvement initiatives. The conceptual framework for this study was Kotter's 8-step of change management. Data were collected through face-to-face semistructured interviews with senior health care managers, document review, and quality reports. Member checking of interview transcripts strengthened the credibility of the findings. Data analysis included Yin's 5-phase process, which consisted of compiling, disassembling, reassembling, interpreting, and concluding the data. Themes emerged from the use of methodological triangulation of data. The themes included communication, leadership support, inclusive decision-making, and employee recognition. The implications of the findings of this study for positive social change include assisting primary care leaders in improving strategies for implementing quality improvement initiatives to increase efficiency, reduce health care cost, and improve patient and community health.

Bibliography: leaves 196-223.
The financial crisis in the South African health care industry has forced participants in the industry to look for ways to contain costs. The subsequent deregulation of the private sector has resulted in the introduction and rapid growth of managed health care. This shift to a new paradigm were cost-effectiveness is a prerogative, has major implications for the doctor workforce. Due to concerns about the potential negative impact of this philosophy of health care delivery on the recruitment, retention and motivation of medical doctors, this study investigated the effect of managed care on their clinical performance and job satisfaction. A cross-sectional survey on a probability sample of 2023 general practitioners throughout South Africa was conducted using a mailed questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis and internal consistency measures were used to assess the instrument's validity and reliability. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate statistical models were used to evaluate the organisational structures and managerial practices associated with managed care, and to assess the impact of these on the clinical freedom and job satisfaction of the respondents.

Senior Health Care System (SHCS) is created for users to enter participants' conditions and store information in a central database. When users are ready for quarterly assessments the system generates a simple summary that can be reviewed, modified, and saved as part of the summary assessments, which are required by Federal and California law.

Degree awarded (2003): DPhPH, Health Services Management and Leadership, George Washington University
Abstract Community partnerships are an increasingly popular strategy for improving community health. This popularity is based less on evidence than on rhetoric. This research developed and tested a systems model of partnership to improve the practice of collaboration in public health. Basing the need for partnerships on the multi-sectoral nature of health, the model used open systems theory to set out requirements for partnership. Institutional theory suggested that problems faced by partnerships may result from partners meeting requirements for legitimacy. Change is, therefore, required, both in organizations and in their institutional environment. Using exploratory case studies, the study design involved site visits to two community health partnerships (West Virginia Community Voices and Healthy New Orleans). Mixed qualitative methods included semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and document review. Analysis involved interpreting informants responses in terms of evidence representing the model and for new elements. Evidence from practice suggested several revisions to the model. One involved applying a typology of organizational affiliation, with partnership toward one end of the continuum. Use of this typology permitted an extension of the model to understand the form of affiliation practiced by Community Voices and of Healthy New Orleans. Multiple opportunities to network and build coalitions in Community Voices led to increased chances of success in achieving health improvement goals. Networking opportunities for individual volunteers led to an informal Healthy New Orleans organization. Results of this research led to an analytic fit between the two sites and the community health partnership model. Recommendations are offered for practice, research, and for funding agencies. With further research, the model can be used to develop practical tools to guide and assess partnerships as a strategy to improve health, as well as to identify environmental barriers to partnership and strategies for change.
Advisory Committee: Kathleen Maloy JD PhD (Chair), Vincent Lafronza ScD, Chris Johnson EdD

The rising cost of health care in the Philippines is a concern for the Department of Defense and TRICARE beneficiaries. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional research study was to determine the efficacy and acceptability of a different method to deliver health care to increase access to health care and decrease out-of-pocket costs while maintaining quality of care for TOP Standard beneficiaries who receive health care under the Philippine Demonstration. Secondary data was used to determine the acceptability of an alternative reimbursement methodology to decrease cost but maintain access to quality care. The Andersen's behavioral health care model and the Donabedian quality health care model were used to interpret the study results. A data set of 180 participants was evaluated using a cross-sectional quantitative methodology. Two Spearman correlations were used to examine the relationship between financial burden and satisfaction (r = .41, p < .001) and financial burden and confidence (r = .44, p < .001). Linear and binary regressions assessed the effects of age and gender on satisfaction with health care finder functionality when requesting a waiver (F (2,26) = 1.22, p = .313, R2 = .09). A computation of one-sample t-tests to determine the impact of a closed network, beneficiary out-of-pocket cost, and quality health care in Demonstration areas found the beneficiaries were satisfied with the demonstration. An analysis of the claims data pre and post demonstration showed a difference in the patients' out-of-pocket expenses and the acceptability and preference for a closed network. Social change was demonstrated by a decrease in the cost for TRICARE standard beneficiaries in the Philippines.

Pediatric palliative care has recently become a priority in the healthcare field and is implemented at the time of diagnosis rather than days or weeks before the child's death. Social constructivism theory in which humans generate meaning from their experiences was utilized as a general framework to determine the impact of pediatric palliative care on close relatives. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to generate a substantive theory that explains how close relatives such as grandparents, aunts, and uncles of a child with cancer experience palliative care. The participants of the study included close relatives of children in palliative care. Semi-structured interviews and journaling were used to collect data. Initial, focused, and selective coding procedures were used to manage the data and a content analysis of the textual data was performed. Findings from the data suggested a process of surrendering to the journey in which close relatives learn to let go of what they cannot control while holding on to what they can control. Social change implications of this study may include improving healthcare programming for close relatives utilizing supportive-expressive measures. This programming may promote mental health of the close relatives who will learn to deal with their adjustment difficulties and improve their coping skills.

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Bachelors
Business Administration
Marketing

South Africa possesses a highly fragmented health system with wide disparities in health spending and inequitable distribution of both health care professionals and resources. The national health system (NHI) of South Africa consists of a large public sector and small private sectors which are overused and under resourced and a smaller private sector which is underused and over resourced. In broad terms, the NHI promises a health care system in which everyone, regardless of income level, can access decent health services at a cost that is affordable to them and to the country as a whole. The relevance of this study is to contribute to the NHI debate while simultaneously providing insights from other countries which have implemented national health care systems. As such, the South African government can then appropriately implement as well as finance the new NHI system specific to South Africa’s current socio-economic status. The objective of this study was to examine health care financing models in different countries in order to draw lessons for South Africa when implementing the NHI. A case study was conducted by examining ten countries with a national health insurance system, in order to evaluate the health financing models in each country. The following specific objectives are pursued: firstly, to review the current health management system and the policy proposed for NHI; secondly, to examine health financing models in a selected number of countries around the world and lastly to draw lessons to inform the South African NHI policy debate. The main findings were firstly, wealthier nations tend to have a much healthier population; this is the result of these developed countries investing significantly in their public health sectors. Secondly, the governments in developing nations allocate a smaller percentage of their GDP and government expenditure on health care. Lastly, South Africa is classified as an upper middle income developing country; however, the health status of South Africans mirrors that of countries which perform worse than South Africa on health matters. In other words the health care in South Africa is not operating at the standard it should be given the resources South Africa possesses. The cause of this may be attributed to South Africa being stuck in what is referred to as the “middle income trap” amongst other reasons.

Chronic disease plagues nearly 133 million Americans, approximately 45% of the population. Several techniques have arise to address this issue other than traditional medicine and alternative medicine is making substantial strides. With the gaining popularity of functional medicine (a subset), the growing need for alternative methods is apparent, especially in the city of Long Beach, California. Mint Health Functional Medicine Clinic aims to treat the source of chronic diseases within the adult population of Long Beach, rather than simply relieving symptoms. Institute of Functional Medicine board certified physicians will do so through a monthly membership, so patients may have a quality consultation and constant access to their providers and support staff for progress follow-up and questions. The mission is to help eliminate chronic disease incidence within the residents of Long Beach, in a non-traditional way.

This dissertation examines several key aspects regarding health insurance policies in the United States. The development of the United States health insurance market began in the 1920s with life insurance companies selling traditional indemnity health insurance plans and hospitals offering hospital care plans on a pre-paid basis. This market has evolved over the last century into a heavily regulated market dominated by employer-sponsored, managed-care plans. Reviews in the introduction of this dissertation include the overall market, health insurer evolution, the history of managed care operations, the progression of employer-sponsored health insurance plans and regulation specific to health insurance. Analysis of health insurance market evolution can offer a better understanding of how past developments in U.S. health care can inform and shape future policy.

The second chapter of this dissertation provides an analysis of adverse selection in the U.S. health insurance market. Adverse selection is a phenomenon inherent in insurance contracting. Using a rich, unique dataset consisting of multiple insurers, across states for the years 2013–2015, I document a correlation between coverage and risk. Results show that adverse selection is present both in the individual and group markets. Additionally, I test for the presence of adverse selection by state and by insurer. I find that factors such as the health of the state population, regulatory environment, insurer competition and insurer size are not associated with the likelihood that a state or and insurer experiences the presence of adverse selection.

The third chapter of this dissertation relates adverse selection and consumer satisfaction in health insurance plans. I exploit a dataset rich with respondent demographics and health insurance plan information to evaluate the relationship between adverse selection and health insurance plan satisfaction. I find that respondents who are more likely to have adversely selected into the health insurance plan are more satisfied with their plan. This is evidence that respondents may use private information on their risk level to choose plans to their advantage.

There exists a blatant need in the Gateway City region of Los Angeles County to serve the Hispanic population in their caregiving needs. In serving a prominently Hispanic population, La Paz Home Care Agency will be distinctive as it will present specialty, expertise, and cultural sensitivity to clients’ home health and caregiving needs. As with national trends, there exists a growing demand for home health providers in the Los Angeles County and Orange County metropolitan region. Home health care services allow a person with special needs stay in their home as they are getting older, are chronically ill, recovering from surgery, or are disabled. Laz Paz Home Health Agency will meet the growing demand for caregiver services by providing services like bathing, dressing, meal preparation, assistance with self-care such as grooming, using the toilet, assisting with ambulation, transfer, light housekeeping, laundry, errands, medication reminders, escorting to appointments, hobby engagement, and supervision for someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. In this business plan a detailed account of La Paz Home Care’s competitive environment, aims, and operations will be covered in detail.

Healthcare industry owners who have unsatisfactory customer care services may experience a financial risk and create dissatisfied patients. The purpose of this case study was to explore customer care strategies that managers of urgent care businesses used to improve customer care services and patient satisfaction. The target population consisted of 1 urgent care manager from 3 separate urgent care clinics with the highest customer satisfaction ratings in Alabama. The urgent care managers were knowledgeable about effective customer care strategies that improved customer care services and patient satisfaction. Customer loyalty theory with emphases on customer behavior, customer attitude, repeat patronage, and loyalty was the conceptual framework for the study. Semistructured interviews and patient survey forms were the data sources. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis which identified similar codes, patterns, and themes. The 3 primary themes that emerged from thematic analysis were patient-focused care, social media outreach, and employee engagement. The implications of this study for positive social change include the potential to enhance the quality of healthcare experiences, which may empower individuals to seek medical care. The patients might become trusting of healthcare providers and become collaborators in responding to medical care requests by medical staff to improve their quality of life.